A Lasting Pleasure
by Cheynne T
Summary: A follow-on from the end of s2 ep6
1. Chapter 1

"A Lasting Pleasure"

Chapter 1

Kate extended her hand to Caroline and asked her to dance.

_"Be brave, Caroline, you can do it," Kate implored to herself, willing Caroline to find the courage to dance with her in front of all these people. "Because, if you can't, I'm wasting my time."_

Slowly Caroline reached out and took Kate's hand, somewhat unsure as to whether this was really happening or not. She allowed herself to be lead to the dance floor where Kate took her other hand as well and wrapped both of Caroline's arms around her waist. Caroline held her close, despite the baby bump, while Kate's hand gently caressed her cheek. Their bodies swayed slowly in time to the music they were barely aware of. Kate's hand came to rest under Caroline's chin and she drew their mouths together for a tender, lingering kiss, both women suddenly oblivious to all around them and unconcerned about all the attention they were getting from the other guests on the dance floor. With each kiss a little more of the heartache they had each been suffering was washed away and replaced with the wish to never let each other go…to stay together forever. Even as the song finished and the other couples left the dance floor, Kate and Caroline danced on, caught up in their own song where only they could hear the music.

It wasn't until a more lively number began to play that the two women reluctantly broke their kiss and made the mutual, unspoken decision to leave the dance floor, Kate firmly grasping Caroline's hand as she led her back to the table. Instead of sitting down, Caroline turned to face Kate and once again wrapped her arms around her.

A little unsure as to whether she was assuming too much, Caroline asked, "Kate, do you want to come back to my room….I mean we can just talk if you want to…. we don't have to do anything else….but…I don't want you to leave again….ever." Caroline's voice began to falter.

"I'm not leaving, Caroline," Kate asserted, "but I have to warn you….we will be doing more than talking….I have missed you in oh so many ways." A teasing grin spread across Kate's face reassuring Caroline that her Kate was back.

"Should we tell Celia and Alan that we're going?" Kate asked.

Caroline looked over towards the dance floor where the newlyweds were once again dancing up a storm.

"To be honest, I don't think they'll care. They're so caught up in their own thing," Caroline answered, "let's just go."

Caroline took Kate's hand and they headed off towards the rooms. As they entered into the lobby with its large fireplace and arrangement of plush furniture, an uncomfortable silence fell over the two women…. this had been where it had all eventually come undone the last time they were here, when Caroline had lost her nerve and booked two separate rooms for their "romantic" weekend. Instead of continuing up the stairs, Caroline took a deep breath to calm herself and led Kate over to the fireplace where an inviting fire was blazing. She cupped Kate's face in her hands and peered into her lovely eyes. Kate felt a lump forming in her throat. Oh, how she had missed those beautiful, blue eyes that were looking at her now.

"Kate," Caroline whispered, "I promise to try to be braver. I will be braver."

With that said, her mouth met Kate's in a deep and fearless kiss.

Although still quite breathless, when Kate finally pulled away from the kiss she managed to say, "I need….we need to go up to the room….now."

Caroline smiled as she understood Kate's meaning for her own desires were just as pressing. With an increased sense of urgency, they made their way up the stairs and the short distance along the corridor to Caroline's room. Quickly and a little nervously, lest it all be a dream and she wakes up, Caroline swiped the key in the door and let them in. The door had barely shut behind them when Caroline felt Kate's lips pressing on hers, urgent and demanding, their tongues dancing sensually in each other's mouths. Caroline kicked off her shoes while Kate had managed to remove the jacket that she was wearing and her fingers were now busy undoing the zip on the back of Caroline's dress. Caroline had a much easier task as Kate's dress had only a simple tie at the front holding it together. As she tugged on the ties they released and the dress opened to reveal Kate's exquisite pregnant form. Caroline removed the dress completely with ease and slowly ran her hands over Kate's body, reminding herself of its textures and tones. Its increased fullness made Caroline's heart ache with both love and yearning.

"Caroline, the zip on the back of your dress is stuck, it won't undo," Kate whispered, a little embarrassed and a lot frustrated.

"Just tear it," Caroline instructed, "I won't be wearing it ever again so it doesn't matter…just give it a good tug."

Kate did as she was told and felt the material give way. Caroline freed herself from the torn garment and left it lying on the floor with the rest of their clothing.

The two women stood naked before each other, only a soft glow from a bedside lamp illuminating the room. They held each other close, eyes closed, heads bent forward, foreheads touching. Each could feel the warm breath of the other on their cheeks. The urgency of their desire had subsided momentarily as they took in the sheer joy and relief of once again having each other to hold and being able to begin to put the hurt they'd suffered behind them. The sadness was slowly seeping out of their hearts and being replaced with the exhilaration of what might be.

Caroline broke the silence first, her voice soft and sincere.

"It's taken me a lot of heartache to figure out that we had something truly lovely together….something precious. I honestly want it to last forever even if forever is a long time… I love you…I want to spend the rest of my life with you." She stopped there as she could feel tears clouding her eyes and the emotion constricting her voice.

"I'm sorry I was so…so…cold, Caroline, but I had to think with my head and not my heart because my heart was broken and I thought…..I don't know exactly what I thought….I was probably lashing out…" Kate tried to explain.

"Sshh…it doesn't matter anymore. We can start again, can't we?" Caroline pleaded.

"Sure," Kate whispered, trying not to let her emotions get the better of her which was difficult in her oestrogen-laden state.

Caroline couldn't resist. She ran her hand once again over Kate's swollen belly and then looked up at her, eyes full of adoration.

"You look absolutely beautiful," she declared.

Kate leaned forward and placed feather-light kisses along Caroline's cheek then took her hand and led her to the room's luxurious bed. As they lay down, their naked bodies clasped tightly together, they both felt their desire reignite. Gentle kisses became demanding, full of want and passion. With hands, mouths, tongues they explored each other's bodies and drove them to the brink and then on over the edge. This was no embarrassed fumble…it was raw, honest love-making expressing all the feelings they couldn't find words for…the hurt, the heartache, the longing, the relief and finally the love.

oooOooo

It was well into the morning before Caroline roused from her sleep. As consciousness crept up on her she took great pleasure in feeling Kate's body beside her, reassuring her that last night had not all been a figment of her imagination. It had all really happened. She couldn't help but smile.

Kate finally stirred also and rolled over to face Caroline, lazily slinging an arm over her lover's body and pulling her closer. Without opening her eyes or saying a word, Kate disappeared below the covers, her lips plying kisses along Caroline's neck and breasts, taking each nipple in turn in her mouth and teasing it to a hard nub. She then continued to descend, leaving a trail of sensual kisses across Caroline's stomach. Caroline gripped the pillows firmly as her body writhed in the increasing ecstasy that Kate was causing to course through her, until it finally all spilled over and she was released.

Kate's head appeared from below the covers and she kissed Caroline innocently on the forehead, however, she wore a less-than-innocent grin on her face.

"Morning, Caroline," Kate all but laughed as she took in the effect her venture had had on her lover.

"Blimey," was all Caroline was capable of saying at that moment.

As Kate lay with Caroline held in her arms still regaining her composure, she peered out the slim slit of window between the curtains and all that she could see was covered in a thick blanket of white. It must have snowed quite heavily during the night and even as she watched now, delicate flakes of snow continued to drift lazily past the window.

"What time do we have to vacate the room?" Kate asked.

"We don't…not today…I have it booked for another night," Caroline replied. "Will you stay with me another night?"

"I would but I don't have any change of clothes," Kate answered, disappointment obvious in her voice.

"You won't need any clothes. We won't be going anywhere," Caroline said with a mischievous grin, "we can order room service if we need anything."

"What could you possibly have planned for us to do all day…here in this room…in this bed?" Kate asked putting on an air of naivety.

"We could play Scrabble," suggested Caroline with a laugh in her voice but equalling Kate's feigned innocence.

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Do you think you could beat me….you a chemistry person and me a languages person?"

"Sure….and to make it more worthwhile, let's make it 'Strip Scrabble'," Caroline added.

"Caroline, I don't know if you've noticed but we're both already naked. I don't get more naked than this," Kate said, stating the glaringly obvious and drawing Caroline's attention back to the desirable figure that lay beside her. She leant forward and once again covered Kate's belly with attentive kisses. As much as she wanted this woman at the moment, a hunger of another kind was demanding attention. She needed food.

So as not to give into the temptation, Caroline rose from the bed and found a robe for herself and for Kate.

"I'm going to order some breakfast," Caroline declared, looking at her watch on the bedside table. "Make that lunch," she added discovering that it was almost midday, "what would you like?"

oooOooo

After spending the remainder of the day in their room luxuriating in the comforts provided and each other's company, they decided to venture out to the hotel's restaurant for dinner. Both women had showered and dressed and were looking radiant as they entered the restaurant and were shown to a table for two.

"The hotel staff here must be really confused by now," Caroline stated after they had taken their seats, were handed the menus and left to make their decisions.

Kate gave her a quizzical look. "Why would they be confused?"

"Well, the first time they saw me here I was with you." Caroline laughed gently for a moment and then her tone became more serious. "Then I left on my own and you left with Greg…I assume."

Kate's face remained neutral, giving away nothing.

Caroline paused for a moment. The thoughts of that evening still hurt. Sensing Caroline's pain, Kate reached across the table and took Caroline's hand in her own and ran her thumb soothingly over her fingers.

Caroline continued. "Then I turned up here with Gillian looking for a venue for mum's wedding only they thought it was Gillian and I who were getting married."

Kate looked at Caroline and laughed. "Seriously?"

"Seriously…..and now I'm back here with you….good lord….who knows what they think now? I can barely get it right with one woman and here they are probably thinking that I've got at least two."

Kate gave Caroline a radiant smile and then squeezed her hand affectionately, reassuring her that tonight she was getting it right.

After the meal Kate excused herself and went to use the bathroom. While she was gone Caroline passed the time doing some people-watching in the restaurant. To her surprise, she noticed a number of other tables where there were two women or two men sitting together and from the intimate touches and body language it was obvious that they were couples also. Caroline was amazed.

_"Why am I just seeing this now for the first time?" she asked herself._

On her return, Kate noticed the puzzled look on Caroline's face.

"What's up?" Kate asked.

"Oh nothing really…. it's just ….there's at least three other couples here…you know…like us."

Kate burst out laughing. She couldn't help herself. When she saw the blush of embarrassment on Caroline's cheeks she tried to hide her smile behind her hand but it was all too much.

Still laughing, Kate replied, "What did I tell you, Caroline? We're not the first gay couple to stay here."

The evening seemed to slip away all too quickly amidst the fine food, the romantic ambience and the easy conversation that flowed. In a moment of quiet, Caroline reminisced to herself about how this was what she had imagined it should have been like for Kate's birthday all those months ago instead of the calamitous mess it had actually turned out to be.

"What are you thinking about?" Kate asked quietly, noticing that she had drifted off to somewhere.

Caroline gave her head a quick shake to clear her thoughts.

"I was thinking about what a perfect evening this has been," she answered softly, "and how this is what was supposed to happen the first time I brought you here…for your birthday…except I ruined it by being a coward…"

Caroline stopped there. The thought of all that followed brought tears to her eyes. Gently Kate brought both of Caroline's hands to her lips and pressed sweet kisses on her knuckles.

"It's alright, Caroline….and besides, I didn't help the situation by insisting that Greg join us," Kate confessed.

"What happened that night?" Caroline ventured to ask, "that night that you and Greg….."

"I will tell you at some time, Caroline, but not tonight….another time… it might spoil the mood."

Caroline nodded, acknowledging her point. "Of course."

After dinner the couple sat for a short time in front of the fireplace, mostly in a contented silence, each off in their own thoughts, before eventually heading back to their room.

Once inside, Caroline kicked off her heels and made her way to the room's small bar to pour herself a nightcap.

"I'm just going to use the bathroom," Kate indicated. "I feel like I spend half my life in the bathroom with this pregnancy thing."

"Are you alright?" Caroline asked with genuine concern. "There's sweat on your forehead."

As Kate headed for the bathroom she replied, "I think I have a bit of indigestion. I'll be fine."

Glass of port in hand, Caroline relaxed on the sofa and thought about the evening. Time and time again over the course of the past two days she'd felt the need to pinch herself to see if things were real. During the last few weeks she'd reluctantly come to accept the idea that she'd probably never be happy…truly, over-the-moon happy ever again…and, yet, against the odds, here she was with the one person who could make her life complete and give her that happiness.

Suddenly she was jostled from her thoughts back to reality as she heard a voice calling her name.

"Caroline. Caroline…" Kate called faintly but desperately from the bathroom.


	2. Chapter 2

"A Lasting Pleasure"

Chapter 2

The urgency of the cries had Caroline dashing from the sofa to the bathroom before her mind had even had time to register what she was doing. As she pushed open the door her eyes took in the distressing sight of Kate slumped beside the basin, holding her swollen belly, standing in a pool of clear fluid.

"I think my water has broken," Kate stammered, confused and frightened.

Caroline quickly reached Kate's side and put her arms around her waist for both physical and moral support.

"That's not supposed to happen… I'm only 27 weeks."

Instinctively wanting to protect the woman she loved, Caroline pushed aside her own urge to panic.

"It's going to be alright," Caroline said with as much calmness as she could muster. "Sit down here while I call reception and have them arrange for an ambulance to take you to the hospital."

Caroline led her distraught partner to a wooden chair that was in the room and helped her to sit.

"Will you be okay here while I go to the phone in the next room?" Caroline asked.

Through a small groan and a wince of pain, Kate muttered an unconvincing, "Yes, I think so."

Caroline raced to the phone on the bedside table and with nervous fingers called through to reception, each ring making her more and more anxious as she waited for it to be answered. After what seemed like an eternity the call was put through and a friendly voice at the other end asked what they could do for her. Caroline, her voice in contrast, business-like and efficient, quickly explained the situation and instructed them to get an ambulance immediately. Once Caroline was assured that they were aware of the seriousness of what was happening and that an ambulance would be called, she hung up and hurried back to the bathroom to find Kate where she had left her, one hand wiping away the tears that flowed down her cheeks while the other stroked her stomach. Kate looked up as she heard Caroline return, her dark brown eyes clouded with worry.

"I dared to think that once I made it past twelve weeks everything would be fine…"she said, her words cut off by a sudden sharp pain.

"It will be fine," Caroline replied in a hushed but hopefully confident voice. "An ambulance is on its way….do you think you can make it down to reception if we take it slowly?"

Kate nodded and allowed Caroline to help her to her feet. She put her arm around Kate's waist to support her and steadily they made their way the short distance along the hallway and then down the stairs into the reception area. Caroline settled Kate as comfortably as possible on the sofa in front of the fireplace before making her way to the desk to ensure that the staff had done as instructed and that an ambulance was, in fact, on its way.

"They've called an ambulance and it should be here very soon," Caroline was able to inform Kate as she sat beside her, holding one of her hands in both of her own and running her thumbs soothingly across Kate's fingers…it was something Kate had done for Caroline many times in the past and it had seemed to work.

The ambulance arrived after only what was in reality, a short time, although for the anxious couple and indeed the concerned hotel staff, it seemed like an age. Within minutes, one paramedic had Kate secured to a stretcher while the other gleaned the necessary details of the situation from Caroline. Kate was then transferred into the back of the vehicle, the doors closed and the engine brought to life.

Despite all her pleading, Caroline was not permitted to travel with Kate to the hospital in the back of the ambulance so she did a frantic dash back to her room, grabbed her car keys, handbag and Kate's handbag and followed closely behind in her car. She'd get Celia to collect the rest of her things later and bring them home.

The night was wrapped in a dark and starless sky. Heavy clouds hung in the air with the promise of more snow to fall at some time but, fortunately, since the morning the snow had stopped and the road was now clear. The headlights of Caroline's car beamed down the black, icy ribbon of road ahead as she sped towards the hospital.

_"Slow down," Caroline chastised herself as she eased her foot off the accelerator slightly, "there's no point two of us needing an ambulance."_

As the car drove on at a more reasonable speed, Caroline could feel the tears of apprehension and fear that she had been holding back for Kate's sake, start to fall uncontrollably. She attempted to wipe them away with the back of her hand but they persisted, threatening to make it impossible for her to drive. Would it be another case of not fully realising how lovely and precious something was until she no longer had it? Up until now Caroline had been reticent about being a mum again at her age…the dirty nappies, the late nights and sleep deprivation…however, the possibility facing her now of perhaps losing the baby made her realise how much she did actually want this child….not only because she knew how much joy it would bring Kate to be someone's mum but because she too found herself looking forward to having this new life to share and treasure with Kate…somehow it made things complete.

oooOooo

Caroline had marched into the hospital and approached the inquiries desk where she waited impatiently to be assisted.

"_Why, when you wanted things to happen quickly, did the world appear to move in slow motion?" Caroline asked herself._

Eventually a young nurse came to the desk and asked if she could help. Caroline explained what had happened and that she was looking for where Kate McKenzie might be.

"Can I ask," the nurse said to Caroline, "what your relationship is to Ms McKenzie?"

With only a slight hesitation, Caroline answered, "I'm her partner."

"Right then, if you'll take a seat, I'll see if I can find out what is happening for you," the nurse responded. "I won't be long," she added as she gave Caroline's forearm a friendly, understanding pat.

Caroline took a seat and waited yet again. While she was there, she took the opportunity to phone Lawrence and explain what was happening and that she'd be home….well, she wasn't sure when she'd be home…eventually… and could he tell his granny what was happening and ask Celia to pick up her things from the hotel and bring them back to Harrogate when she came?

She had only just finished her call when the nurse returned. Caroline jumped up out of her seat.

"Is Kate alright?... and the baby?"

"Kate is in the delivery room. The doctors think that she should attempt to deliver the baby naturally despite it being premature but they're ready to perform a C-section if there are any problems," the nurse informed her.

Caroline listened carefully taking it all in, then she asked, "Can I….can I… see her….be with her?"

The nurse nodded. "Sure, come with me."

oooOooo

Her first cry was weak but a cry nonetheless, signifying a new life born. Both Caroline and Kate held each other's hands tightly, speechless, tentatively smiling for, although their baby girl had made it over the first hurdle, there was a long way to go. Quickly the nurse cleaned her up and allowed Kate and Caroline a brief glimpse of their new daughter so they could count toes and fingers before whisking her away for the intensive care that she would need.

Caroline gently mopped away the sweat of effort and exhaustion that glistened on Kate's forehead and replaced it with a tender kiss. The attending nurse then signalled to Caroline that it was probably time for her to leave so they could tend to Kate also.

Caroline leant over and kissed her cheek as she asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?... anything I can get?"

"Would you mind ringing my mum and letting her know what's happened?" Kate answered. "Her number is on my phone…do you have my bag?"

"I do…I'll take care of it. You rest and I'll see you shortly, as soon as they let me. I love you."

Too exhausted to reply, Kate simply gave Caroline's hand a weak squeeze.

Once out in the hospital corridor Caroline shuffled through Kate's bag until she found her phone. As she peered out of the large window that overlooked the hospital entrance she could see that it was still dark and only the streetlights yet lit the town. It was the very early hours of the morning. At first Caroline was unsure as to whether to ring now or wait until a more civilised hour but finally she decided that it couldn't wait and so she found the phone number and pressed "call." A sleepy voice at the other end eventually answered.

"Hello…Mrs McKenzie?... this is Caroline Elliot…Caroline, Kate's partner. She asked me to call you to let you know that she went into labour late last night…..she was rushed to hospital and has given birth to a baby girl….she's premature and it's early days but they're taking good care of her ….Kate's fine….tired but fine…"

Having given Kate's mum all the information she had and reassurances that Kate and the baby were doing well, Caroline ended the call.

It was too soon yet to go in search of Kate so she lingered a bit longer in front of the window looking out over the grounds of the hospital and off into the distance. The first faint rays of sunlight were beginning to push their way into that part of the world. As she stood there watching the new day begin, a thousand thoughts filled Caroline's head. Her life had changed so much in the last year or so, so that she hardly recognised herself anymore. She had been a barely-contented wife who, mostly as a distraction from the mundanity of her marriage, had thrown herself into her career as the highly-competent head teacher of a prestigious public school. She was the devoted mother of two constantly warring teenage boys whom she loved but they were very much of an age now where they didn't want or often need her advice anymore. Her embittered and judgemental mother was living with her and constantly airing her dissatisfaction with the present and her regrets of the past.

Then suddenly a whirlwind of change had whisked through her life. Her mother discovered love and happiness in the form of Alan, a love lost but never forgotten and then finally found again sixty years later. John, her self-centred jerk of a husband had shown himself to be a wanton philanderer and had left her, stranded and stricken, only to come crawling back, his tail between his legs, a few months on. Amidst all this, she had met Kate who, right from the beginning, had been interested and compassionate, taking the time for a few kind words when Caroline had needed them most. She had put up with all of Caroline's rubbish as she confided in her about her marriage break-up and she had been enormously patient with Caroline as she fumbled through the confusion she faced about her sexuality. Then Caroline had blown it…her insecurities and emotional ineptness had lost it for her. It was only then that she had realised how precious and lovely their relationship had been. Now, here she was, just over a year down the track from when it all started, at the age of 46, in a relationship with a woman….by some incredible miracle Kate had come back to her…. and the co-parent of a newborn baby girl. All she could surmise was that life is nothing if not unpredictable and should be made the most of. That was something she was determined to do from now on.

Eventually Caroline pulled herself back from her thoughts and made her way back to Kate's room to check that all was well. Kate lay sleeping, her face more peaceful than it had been in the last few traumatic hours. Caroline sat carefully on the edge of the bed so as not to disturb her and gently rubbed her arm. Kate stirred slightly but didn't wake.

After reassuring herself that Kate was fine, Caroline strolled down to the nursery where their new baby daughter….it was still with some degree of disbelief that Caroline said the word "daughter" to herself…was being cared for.

Caroline eyed off each of the babies in their life-support bubbles, looking for the one with "McKenzie" written on the chart. Finally a nurse inside the unit pointed out to her the fragile form that was baby McKenzie. She too, like her mother, was sleeping. Tubes snaked across her tiny body connecting her to the machines that were monitoring her every function and supporting her new life. The nurse gave Caroline a smile and a "thumbs up" to indicate that the child was doing well.

As Caroline stood by the viewing window staring in at the tiny form, she felt rather than saw a presence beside her. When she looked around she saw a woman who could only be Kate's mother. She was tall but slightly stooped. Her skin was that same smooth coffee-colour and her hair was wiry, heavily tinged with grey. The woman's eyes were unmistakeably Kate's as was her mouth.

"Mrs McKenzie?" Caroline asked.

"Yes, love," the woman replied.

Caroline stretched out her hand as she introduced herself.

"Hello…I'm Caroline Elliot…um…Kate's partner."

"I know who you are, dear. I'm Ruth and I'm pleased to finally meet you."

She ignored Caroline's extended hand and instead pulled her into a warm, welcoming hug. Unused to such spontaneous displays of affection from complete strangers, Caroline was caught off guard and a bit flustered but she did her best to make a quick recovery.

"That little girl over there is Kate's….our….your granddaughter," Caroline whispered, her voice hitched with emotion as she proudly pointed out the sleeping figure of the tiniest baby in the room. "She's several weeks premature," Caroline added, "but the doctors are happy with her development and seem to think she has an excellent chance of…." Caroline's words petered out. She didn't want to even contemplate this child not surviving.

The other woman gazed tenderly at her granddaughter through the glass that separated them from the sterile conditions within, mesmerised by the small figure fighting for life.

"She's so little and so beautiful…I just want to hold her and tell her that everything will be perfect," Ruth said, as much to herself as to Caroline.

Caroline fully understood this sentiment as it echoed her own entirely.

"Have you seen Kate yet?" Caroline asked.

"Not yet. I arrived and came straight here," the woman answered.

"Come on. I'll show you where she is. She was sleeping last time I popped in, that's why I came to the nursery."

Caroline led the way down the corridor toward the wards, Kate's mum easily keeping pace beside her.

"So you're the one who broke Kate's heart," Ruth said, more as a statement than an accusation.

Caroline looked at Ruth somewhat surprised and unsure how to answer.

"I didn't mean to…,"Caroline finally answered, "I'm just not very good with things…feelings… but I am getting better."

Ruth took Caroline's hand to show her she meant no malice.

"She loves you, you know, but she is strong and won't be pushed around."

"I know…I haven't been very brave at times but I will try harder," Caroline promised.

"I think that all you should be concerned about …all that is important is that my daughter loves you and would do anything for you. Do you love her?"

"Yes, I do," Caroline responded, " it's just taken me quite a lot of heartache to realise how much I do love her and to come to terms with that…but, yes, I do love her very much."

Caroline was amazed at how comfortable she felt talking openly with this woman she had only just met.

"Well then, Caroline, you need to get your act together because you two now have a daughter to raise," the older woman said, not being backwards in speaking her mind.

A small smile played on Caroline's lips. It was plain where Kate got her feistiness from.

"Yes, I know. I…we will."

"Good, because my Kate deserves to be happy."

"She does," Caroline agreed quietly.

Kate was sitting up in bed looking more refreshed and alert now that she'd slept. The sight of both her mum and Caroline entering the room brought a broad smile to her face. Her mother walked over to the bedside and held Kate in a loving embrace. Caroline stood by the bed observing the relaxed, natural display of affection between mother and daughter and felt a slight twinge of jealousy. Although Caroline and Celia were closer now and generally got on well, physical displays of affection through her whole life had been restrained and discouraged even. She envied Kate this openness.

"I'll leave you two to catch up," Caroline said as she was about to walk from the room.

"Don't be ridiculous," Kate's mother admonished her. "You're Kate's partner. There's nothing we can say that you don't need to hear, love."

"Kate, do you think your mother could talk to mine and help her to overcome some of her prejudices?" Caroline asked, a smile on her face but only half joking. Caroline didn't even want to consider what Celia's reaction to the new baby might be.

Kate returned the smile then tugged Caroline close enough so that their lips touched and they shared a brief kiss. Caroline felt her cheeks redden slightly and she suspected that Kate had done that to her on purpose.

"Caroline, do think you could take me down to the nursery. I haven't seen her since last night?"

"Of course. She's utterly adorable…but then babies are, aren't they."

oooOooo

All three women stood peering, captivated, through the glass window into the room where their baby lay. They watched as the nurses monitored the machines and as she slept, occasionally kicking her legs or shaking her tiny fists.

"Do you think she'll make it?" Kate dared to ask in a voice husky with emotion and holding Caroline's hand tightly.

"If she's got any of her mother's feistiness in her she'll be just fine," Caroline answered as she wrapped an arm loosely around Kate's waist and softly traced the outline of her chin with the other hand, her adoring eyes looking into Kate's.

"Your daughter is absolutely beautiful," Caroline whispered and brushed Kate's cheek with a light kiss.

"_Our_ daughter, Caroline….she's _our_ daughter," Kate corrected her in a whisper.

Caroline's emotions had been kept on a tight rein for much of the last two days….much of her life really….but now she unashamedly allowed the tears to flow freely down her cheeks.

"Our daughter is absolutely beautiful," Caroline repeated. "Thank you for such a wonderful gift and I promise to love and cherish you both forever."

**A/N - Thanks for reading. **


	3. Chapter 3

"A Lasting Pleasure"

Chapter 3

Caroline put Kate's overnight bag on the backseat of her car and opened the passenger-side door for her girlfriend. Kate took one more anxious look back at the hospital entrance as she reluctantly got in.

"Are you okay?" Caroline asked, noticing the slightly distressed look on her partner's face.

"I'm glad to be going home," Kate replied, "but it's very difficult…painful even….having to leave our daughter behind. I want to be with her and watch over her. I want her to be coming home with us so we can start being a family."

"She will come home with us just as soon as the doctors think she is strong enough," Caroline answered trying to be positive but feeling very much the same as Kate. It had been an emotional visit to the nursery that day, knowing that they were going home and leaving their baby in the hospital.

"I know she needs to stay…I know all that…but it doesn't make it any easier to leave her. In some ways it feels like I'm deserting her."

"We're not deserting her…she's where she needs to be….but I know how you feel," Caroline conceded, "and we're only a short ten minute drive from the hospital so we'll be able to see her every day."

With a resigned smile at her partner who she knew was doing everything possible to make this easier for her, Kate put on her seatbelt and closed the car door.

As Caroline drove along, Kate rested her hand on Caroline's thigh. Feeling the touch of her hand, Caroline remembered how much she had missed, in the time they were apart, these intimate touches and the meaningful looks Kate had previously given her…the looks and touches that so often said so much more than any words could say and that she had so easily taken for granted….and how she had craved to have Kate touch her and look at her again after she had blown it. Not for the first time, or the last time she suspected, she chastised herself severely for being foolish enough to ever let this woman slip from her grasp.

Caroline slowed the car down to a stop outside Kate's house, quickly got out and raced around to the passenger-side door to open it for her.

"I'm fine …really I am…there's no need..." Kate laughed, both flattered and a little embarrassed by Caroline's attentions.

"I know…I know…Can you just humour me and let me fuss until I get it out of my system?" Caroline pleaded light-heartedly. "You've been in hospital and that's what you do with people who have been in hospital…you fuss."

"Fuss away then," Kate relented, highly amused by such an attentive Caroline. "My bag is in the back. I suppose I should let you carry it in for me."  
"No sooner said than done." Caroline grabbed the bag from the back seat. They walked up the path towards the house, Caroline's free hand around Kate's waist.

Once inside, Caroline put the bag at the bottom of the stairs and then made her way into the kitchen where she found Kate putting the kettle on.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" she asked.

"Sure," Caroline answered. " I hope you don't mind but when you told me yesterday that you were coming home today and you wanted to come to yours rather than mine…I took the liberty of buying you a few groceries. I hope you don't mind…and there's a casserole in the fridge that you can heat up."

Touched by her partner's thoughtfulness, Kate reached out for her and drew her into a warm embrace, her dark eyes looking into Caroline's.

"You are truly magnificent…thank you."

Caroline dropped her eyes, still a little flustered at times by compliments.

As Kate handed her her cup of tea, Caroline asked, "Can we talk?"

"Of course we can," Kate replied, noting the more serious tone of Caroline's voice. "What's up?"

"Kate…you can tell me to go away if you want to… if you think I'm being too annoying…over-bearing…but I don't really feel comfortable leaving you here on your own tonight. It's your first night out of hospital and…well… it would make me feel better if I could stay here tonight…maybe a couple of nights…and make sure you're alright. I'll sleep on the sofa if you'd prefer…say 'No' if you…

"Caroline, don't be ridiculous," Kate scoffed gently, "of course, you can stay…I want you to stay…beside me, in my bed, loving me."

The relief showed on Caroline's face. "Good…thank you…I packed a few things in a bag…clothes, clean underwear…I'll go and get them from the car and then I'll make us some lunch."

"You packed a bag?" Kate teased, "so you were quite confident then that I'd let you stay?"

"I was hopeful…" Caroline began but before she could go any further Kate hooked her fingers into the loops of Caroline's jeans and tugged her close so that their foreheads touched.

"Caroline," Kate interrupted, "I didn't go all the way back to the wedding to get you just to let you go again."

"Why did you come back?"

"We can discuss that another time. Right now I have something else in mind."

A suggestive gleam appeared in Kate's eyes. She took Caroline's cup of tea and placed it on the bench and then guided Caroline's hands around her waist. Kate then cupped her partner's beautiful face in her hands and pressed their lips together. During Kate's stay in hospital they had only been able to snatch the odd moments of privacy so kisses had been few and far between. Kate was determined to start making up for this now. The kiss had begun softly with lips playfully chasing lips but it rapidly gained momentum as tongues began to explore wildly and their mouths punished each other for their absence.

Oblivious to anything else other than what seemed to be the need to merge into each other's bodies, the kiss played out for a considerable passage of time before the women finally drew apart, breathless and with pulses racing.

Caroline managed to find her voice first although her breathing was still ragged.

"My god, Kate, surely it has to be illegal to kiss like that…especially so soon after giving birth."

"I think my hormones are still raging," Kate suggested.

Caroline's eyes opened wide with surprise as she felt herself being slowly backed up against the wall and as she noted the seductive expression on her girlfriend's face. She hadn't been expecting this quite so soon but she was more than willing to co-operate.

Kate pressed her body against Caroline's and nipped gently at the smooth skin on her neck, the warmth of her breath setting off a storm of excitement throughout Caroline's body. Then as she kissed her way back to Caroline's mouth, Kate slipped one hand under the loose-fitting jumper and T-shirt, savouring the feel of the bare skin against her palm. Kate slowly moved her hand up and cupped Caroline's breast, rubbing her fingers over an already aroused nipple. She delighted in the feeling of Caroline's quickening breath. Pulling away slightly to give herself a bit of room, Kate then slid her hand down to the top of Caroline's jeans where she first undid the stud and then the zip. She ran her fingers teasingly across the edge of Caroline's panties before slipping her hand inside them until she felt the wetness of Caroline's desire, eliciting a sudden gasp from Caroline as she did so. The touch and movement of Kate's fingers ignited every cell in Caroline's body and their ministrations soon had Caroline teetering on the brink until, with a final gasp, she toppled blissfully over the edge. Kate slowly withdrew her hand while Caroline slumped against the wall, her head resting on Kate's shoulder, still enjoying the moment of ecstasy.

"I'd love to return the favour," Caroline finally whispered, her voice husky still, "but you're probably not up to it yet?"

"No…it's all still a little tender," Kate replied, "but you'll be the first to know when I'm ready….Right, now where's that lunch you promised me?"

Caroline looked up at her girlfriend's face with its amused grin. "I got waylaid," Caroline offered as an excuse, an equally amused grin on her face, as she re-adjusted her clothing, "but I'm on it now."

oooOooo

As they finished their lunch, Caroline collected the plates, put them in the sink and joined Kate on the sofa. Kate took her partner's hand and kissed her fingers.

"Thank you, Caroline. You've been wonderful."

"You didn't think I was so wonderful a week ago," Caroline replied before she could stop herself.

"Yes….I did, Caroline. I always have…but I didn't think you were as committed to this relationship…to us…you, me and a baby…as I needed you to be," Kate explained.

"I was pathetic," Caroline admitted quietly. "I always worry about what other people are going to think…I have more than my fair share of my mother in me in that respect…instead of just getting on with it…with life…but I don't care anymore. I've been on a steep learning curve during those months without you and believe me when I say that I_ am_ fully committed to you and our daughter."

"I think I started to realise that," Kate replied, "when you turned up at the hospital when I was bleeding. I was so frightened and you were there for me."

Caroline gave Kate's hand a reassuring squeeze to affirm all that she had said.

"Have you had any thoughts on a name for her yet?" Caroline asked as a way of lightening the mood. "It seems a bit sad that she's a week old and doesn't have a name yet, although she did pop out unexpectedly."

"Well…yes, I do….and you can say so if you don't like it," Kate answered. "What do you think of the name 'Caitlyn'…with a K or a C…I don't mind."

"Caitlyn. Caitlyn." Caroline rolled the name over, experimenting with the sound of it. "It's perfect. I love it."

"Do you mind if we use my mother's name as a middle name? Caitlyn Ruth?"

"That's lovely."

"Caitlyn Ruth McKenzie-Elliot it is then," Kate said out loud, testing its ring.

Caroline hesitated, a look of doubt on her face.

"What?" Kate asked, detecting the dissatisfaction, "Elliot-McKenzie?"

"Can we leave out the 'Elliot' entirely?…just have it as Caitlyn Ruth McKenzie? Life is going to be tough enough for her without giving her a hyphenated surname, don't you think?" Caroline gave Kate a pleading, uncertain smile. "Do you mind?"

"Not if you don't," Kate answered, "Are you sure?"

"Positive…I think…Besides, 'Elliot' is John's name and if it didn't cost a small fortune to change the stationery with my name on at school…oh, and the sign at the entrance…I'd drop the 'Elliot' myself and go back to 'Dawson'," Caroline explained, "or now that Alan and mum have married…twice…Alan might adopt me and I could be 'Buttershaw'…Dr Caroline Buttershaw…it has a nice ring to it."

"Now you're being ridiculous," Kate laughed.

"Yes, I am," Caroline admitted, laughing with her.


	4. Chapter 4

"A Lasting Pleasure"

Chapter 4

Caroline rapped lightly on the glass of the front door and waited patiently on the steps. It wasn't long before Kate greeted her with a warm smile as she opened it for her partner.

"Caroline, you don't have to …"

Before she could finish her sentence, Caroline had stepped up and silenced her with a loving kiss.

"Knock…," she finished once their lips had parted.

"I know but I don't want to frighten you by walking in unannounced."

Caroline tossed her bag and her coat onto a nearby chair then reached out for Kate, putting her arms loosely around her waist and kissing her gently on the forehead, her nose and then her mouth.

"You're very amorous today, Dr Elliot," Kate teased.

"How can I help but be amorous with such sweet temptation in my way," Caroline played up to her, "and besides, I missed you today."

"I missed you too." Kate returned the kiss. "Are you staying tonight?"

"I'm sorry, Kate, I can't. Now that mum and Alan have moved into their bungalow down Rippendon, I don't have anyone to stay with Lawrence. I know he's probably old enough to stay at home on his own and I don't mind doing that occasionally but it's a week night so I ought to go home at some point….I've got a couple of hours up my sleeve though…he's over at Angus' place doing an assignment they're working on together ….at least that's what he tells me he's doing."

Kate tried not to let her disappointment show as she fully understood and didn't expect anything less from Caroline. Instead, she put on the kettle and went about preparing them each a cup of tea.

Caroline continued the conversation as they waited for the kettle to boil.

"John came over last night."

"What on earth for? I thought he was more of less set up at Judith's place," Kate replied, annoyed by John's persistence at being an unwanted presence in their lives.

"More or less…but he'd had a falling out with Judith over the baby and her …."

"Caroline…back up the bus…what baby?" Kate asked, looking puzzled.

"Oh blimey….I haven't told you, have I…in all the excitement of everything that's happened lately and well…because we weren't speaking there for a bit…. I forgot to tell you….Judith's pregnant…to John!"

"Oh no! How did that happen…well, I know 'how' obviously but…why? when?" Kate was completely gobsmacked. "Has she stopped drinking?"

"I think she may have slowed down but she's an alcoholic…I don't think it's as easy as just stopping…I think that's what their falling out was about," Caroline explained.

"Oh…the poor thing…the baby, I mean. I hope it's going to be okay."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Who knows?"

Steam rose from the kettle as it reached its boiling point and switched off. Kate filled each mug and they headed, with their tea, for the comfort of the well-worn sofa where they curled up beside each other.

"Speaking of babies…how was our daughter today?" Caroline asked eagerly. "I'm sorry I didn't make it to the hospital this afternoon but Gavin wanted to discuss some matters and I've been putting him off."

"She's beautiful," Kate stated simply.

"More beautiful than when I saw her yesterday?" Caroline smiled, poking just a little fun at Kate, the besotted mother.

"Yes, she is," Kate replied taking Caroline's teasing good-naturedly. "I got to hold her and feed her. The doctor was there today and she seems to think that if Caitlyn continues to progress at her present rate we will be able to bring her home in two to three weeks."

Caroline smiled as she caught the excitement in Kate's eyes and her voice at the thought of being able to bring their baby home.

"Well, we'll need to get a move on then, won't we," Caroline urged.

"What do you mean?"

"Finding somewhere to live…I'd like us to be together…not this "to-ing and fro-ing" ….when she comes home so we need to find somewhere to live…somewhere big enough for you and me, Caitlyn, Lawrence and William on the occasions he comes home," Caroline explained.

Both women went quiet as they contemplated possible solutions to their problem.

Kate eventually asked, "Have you had any prospective buyers for your house yet?"

"Nothing serious," was Caroline's disappointed reply.

"Maybe we could go back to the original plan? I could sell this house and hopefully that would give us enough money to buy John's share of your house," Kate suggested, "and, hopefully, once John has his money he'll quietly disappear up his own arse….sorry."

Kate had always tried to maintain a neutral stance where John was concerned but sometimes it was all too much for her. Caroline's blue eyes opened wide in surprise and then she laughed. She wasn't used to Kate bad-mouthing John…that was her area of expertise…and it greatly amused her.

Stifling her laughter, Caroline asked, "I didn't think you were comfortable with the idea of moving into mine…are you sure?"

"Now that your mother has moved out I could …" Kate stopped there realising she had put her foot in it again.

"Don't worry," Caroline said, noticing Kate's embarrassment. "You forget that I've lived with her judgemental tendencies and prejudices my whole life…picking up a few of them myself along the way."

Kate continued, "And John will hopefully be too busy with Judith and the baby to bother us….I could probably do it."

Caroline became thoughtful as she mulled over the possibilities.

"Unfortunately, I don't think the sale of your house would cover what John would expect for his half of our house and I can't afford to pay any more."

The discussion petered out as solutions seemed to evade them.

"Do you want some dinner?" Kate asked, "it's only last night's leftovers but it's still tasty."

Leaving the problem behind her, Caroline cheered up considerably at the mention of dinner. It had been late morning since she had last found time to eat and she was famished.

Kate heated up the remainder of the previous night's spaghetti bolognaise and boiled some fresh spaghetti while Caroline busied herself shaving off slivers of parmesan cheese. The ladies then returned to the sofa. Kate offered Caroline a glass of red wine to have with her meal but as Kate wasn't drinking, Caroline declined also. They turned on the television and settled in for a lazy evening.

With her hunger sated and in the comfort of her girlfriend's lap, Caroline drifted off into a peaceful sleep. It wasn't until almost an hour later, when Kate could no longer put off the need to use the bathroom, that she attempted to wake her "sleeping beauty".

"Caroline…Caroline…" Kate softly whispered so as not to startle her, "I need to get up."

Caroline roused but didn't wake so Kate gently lifted Caroline's head, stood up and placed a cushion where her lap had been.

When Kate returned, it was to see a bleary-eyed Caroline propping herself up on the sofa, attempting to look at least semi-conscious.

"I'm sorry," Caroline apologised, "I'm not exactly scintillating company am I …falling asleep like that?

"It's fine, you've worked all day," Kate reassured her as she ran her fingers through Caroline's fine blonde hair in an effort to tidy the loose strands.

Once Caroline's eyes were able to fully focus, she looked at her watch.

"Hell! It's after nine o'clock. I'd better be off. Lawrence will be wondering what's happened."

Caroline collected her things and headed for the door but not before Kate managed to steal a rather lengthy goodnight kiss.

"Kiss Caitlyn for me tomorrow and tell her that I will see her on the weekend. I love you. Night."

Leaving Kate with a final peck on the cheek, Caroline dashed to her car.

oooOooo

Partly to keep herself awake but mostly because she was in a good mood, Caroline turned the radio on and found herself singing along to the tunes as she drove.

As she neared her block the sound of the music was pierced by the urgent whaling of sirens. Caroline instinctively looked in the rear view mirror only to see not one but two fire engines rapidly approaching from behind her, their lights flashing manically. Immediately, Caroline pulled over to the curb and waited for them to pass. As she pulled out again she noticed that they seemed to be heading in the same direction as she was and as she drove on she could still hear the siren's warning blaring up ahead. The closer she got to her house, the louder the sirens became. Caroline could feel her pulse quicken and her palms become sweaty.

_"Don't worry," Caroline told herself, "Everything is fine."_

Within fifty metres of her home Caroline had to pull over. Fire engines and barricades blocked the street…she could get no closer in her car. Panic seized her mind and her body as she rapidly rushed from the car up to her driveway, her heart pounding in her chest. She was halted in her driveway by one of the firemen.

"Sorry…you can't go in there, love, it's too dangerous," he warned her.

Caroline froze where she was and took in the devastating sight before her. Her house was well ablaze. Flames were licking curtains and furniture and had engulfed the whole downstairs area and were now going in search of more fuel in the upper part of the building. Loud explosions ruptured the usually quiet neighbourhood as glass shattered from the intense heat.

Suddenly Caroline screamed out, "Lawrence!"

Quickly she reached into her coat pocket and retrieved her phone. Desperately she searched through contacts until Lawrence's number appeared. She pressed 'call' and waited. It seemed to take forever for the call to connect through then, to her enormous relief, she heard her son's voice.

"I know I'm late, mum, but Angus' dad is having car trouble," Lawrence explained, unaware of the sheer joy his mother was experiencing at the sound of his voice, safe and sound.

"It's fine….it's fine," Caroline wept.

"Are you alright, mum? It's only a flat battery."

Caroline took a moment to pull her emotions together and then replied, "Yes, I'm okay. Can you put Angus' dad on the phone, please Lawrence?"

"Sure," Lawrence replied, "but you're not going to give him a bullocking about me being late are you because he couldn't help it that his car battery was flat?"

"No, son, nothing like that," she assured him, "just get him for me, please."

Lawrence did as he was told and handed his phone to Angus' dad. Caroline explained to him what was happening and asked if Lawrence could stay there the night and she would pick him up first thing in the morning. Considering the circumstances, he was more than happy to oblige. Caroline then spoke to Lawrence and told him what was going on, desperately trying to play down the enormity of the situation so as not to upset her son too much.

Moments later, Caroline stood there, a lone figure in the background, watching as the drama played out before her. Nausea churned her stomach and bile soured her throat.

It was as the fire was losing its battle against the water being doused on it from the fire hoses that Caroline noticed that John's car was in the drive but there was no sign of John. Her eyes darted across the scene before her looking for him but she didn't see him anywhere until, as she dashed towards the nearest fireman to let him know of the possibility of her husband still being in the fire, she caught sight of him standing in the shadows. Caroline made her way over to her ever petulant, soon-to-be ex-husband. As she stood beside him, she detected his distinct nervousness at her presence and the reek of alcohol and stale tobacco filled her nostrils.

"What happened, John?" she asked, accusation dripping from her words.

"What makes you think I had anything to do with it?" he snapped.

"You're the only one here …and you're drunk so just tell me what happened…you're going to have to say it sooner or later so you might as well make it now."

John hesitated as his alcohol-addled brain tried to figure out what _had_ actually happened and how much he should admit to.

"I didn't mean to…it was an accident," he began.

"Oh grow up, John….you're pathetic," Caroline hissed between clenched lips, barely able to contain her rage and her desire to throttle him.

"I put some oil in the frying pan to heat up and then…" John stopped as he tried to clear the fog from his head… "I must have fallen asleep….and the oil caught fire…I don't really know. The next thing I know there were flames and I couldn't put them out so I ran outside and called 999."

No words Caroline could say would undo what had been done so she stood there mutely and, as she stood there, she watched as her once beautiful house became a sodden mess of ash and blackened water. Silent tears streamed down both cheeks.


	5. Chapter 5

"A Lasting Pleasure"

Chapter 5

Almost another hour past before the fire crew were satisfied that the fire had been completely extinguished and that their job there was done. They reeled in their hoses and reclined the ladders onto the back of the trucks and prepared to leave. Before departing, the officer-in-charge approached Caroline as she stood alone watching the proceedings.

"Are you the owner?" he enquired.

Caroline nodded her head.

"We're just about done here, love," he continued, "I've had a cursory look around inside and there's not too much left untouched in the way of furniture and the like, unfortunately, but in my opinion, the outside framework seems to have maintained its integrity. However, it's not safe to go inside yet so stay clear and besides, your insurance company will want to take a look around first before anyone goes touching anything."

"Of course," Caroline managed to say, "and thank you."

The fireman tipped his head to her and went off to finalise the placement of the guard tape around what was once Caroline's immaculate home…her pride and joy.

With nothing further to see or do, Caroline walked, in a slight daze, back down the driveway and up to where she had been forced to abandon her car. The pungent smell of smoke and ash was still thick in the surrounding air.

As she sat in the driver's seat attempting to sort out in her mind what had just happened, Caroline reached into her coat pocket for her phone and called Kate. The phone rang several times before being directed to voice mail. Rather than leave a message…she wasn't even sure what to say…Caroline hung up and then tried again. This time, after only one ring, Kate's voice, clearly worried by receiving a phone call from Caroline so late at night, came on the line.

"Caroline, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

"Can I come back and stay at your place tonight?" Caroline asked in a small voice, her tone doing nothing to displace Kate's concern.

"Of course….are you alright?" Kate repeated.

"I'm fine."

"What's wrong? Why do you need to…"

"I'll explain when I get there," Caroline stated simply, "it's too hard to ….I'll see you soon."

With that, Caroline hung up leaving a puzzled and anxious Kate to wait for her. While she waited, she busied herself making them a cup of tea, rushing to the door every time she thought she heard a noise that might be Caroline. On her third dash she spotted the forlorn figure of her girlfriend making her way up the path. Kate quickly opened the door and ran out to meet her. Immediately, the harsh smell of smoke that clung to Caroline's hair and clothes struck her and then she noticed Caroline's reddened eyes and the tear tracks down her cheeks.

"What on earth has happened?" Kate demanded, fraught with concern.

"Can we go inside?" Caroline suggested, her voice low and her throat raw from breathing in the smoke.

Kate stepped aside and allowed Caroline to enter the house first. For the second time that day, Caroline tossed her coat and bag onto the chair then made her way into the kitchen where she sat silently at the table for a moment, her weary head resting in her hands. Kate put the cup of tea she'd made for Caroline on the table in front of her.

Caroline murmured a soft 'thank you.'

Kate waited a beat and then asked quietly a second time, "Caroline, what's happened?"

"John burned down the house," she replied almost inaudibly.

A look of shocked disbelief appeared on Kate's face. "How did he manage to do that?"

"He was drunk…he was cooking and he set fire to the house."

Kate noticed a stray tear roll its way down Caroline's cheek and could feel them also welling in her own eyes. She hated seeing her partner so distressed and she knew how much Caroline adored that house. She wrapped one arm around Caroline's shoulders and drew Caroline's head to her chest with the other, gently stroking her hair. No words were spoken for a considerable length of time as Caroline allowed her partner to soothe her pain away.

Finally Kate drew Caroline's head back slightly, looked her in the eyes and asked, "Are you going to be okay?"

Caroline gave a weak smile and said, "I'll be fine but it all feels a bit …a bit weird."

"Weird as in sick?" Kate didn't quite understand what Caroline was saying. "Maybe it's shock."

Caroline continued to look into her lover's face. "No, not weird as in 'sick'….I don't know how to explain it exactly…weird as in 'strange' perhaps. I've just stood for over two hours and watched my beautiful house that I loved…thought I loved…be gutted by fire thanks to my useless jerk of a husband…and, yes, I'm upset and I'm sad but it all feels a bit…surreal or hollow." Caroline paused for a moment, searching for the right words to express what she was feeling. "Months ago, when I thought you were lost to me forever….when I'd 'blown it' to use your words…I was heartbroken …I experienced a deep, almost unbearable agony that I honestly never thought I'd fully recover from…and although I put on a brave face at times…when I had to…I was inconsolably miserable…"

Kate leant down and softly kissed her, wanting to wash away any remnants of that pain.

"When I think about the loss of the house….a mere _thing _really…bricks and mortar…it pales into insignificance when compared to the thought of losing you…or Caitlyn…or the boys."

Kate was left quite speechless. Her emotions and love for this woman threatening to spill over into tears also.

"Let's go up to bed," Kate finally suggested, "it's very late."

"I'll need a shower first. I reek of smoke."

The two women made their way up the stairs. Kate went into the bedroom, slid under the covers and was soon asleep. Caroline headed for the bathroom where she stripped off her smoke-drenched clothes and hung them up to air for they were virtually all she had. She then stepped under the hot tide of water that flowed from the shower head. She rubbed herself fiercely with the soap in an effort to remove the acrid smell of smoke from her skin and then allowed the hot water to run over her, going some way to relieving her tension.

When Caroline was finished she dried herself off, wrapped the towel around her body and went back to Kate's bedroom. She entered quietly knowing that there was a good chance that Kate would already be asleep. The bedside lamp threw a dim, soft light across the bed and Caroline could see and admire the beautiful, dark-skinned figure of her partner lying on her side, slumbering. Caroline set the alarm on her phone then she removed the towel and carefully crawled into the bed. She loved that Kate chose to sleep totally naked. It had taken Caroline quite a while to feel comfortable sleeping naked herself as she was used to wearing pyjamas but Kate had insisted and now she loved being able to feel her own bare skin up against Kate's as she moved in behind her and wrapped an arm around her, her hand cupping one of Kate's breasts. Unable to resist, Caroline placed several delicate kisses on Kate's exposed shoulder before she too was asleep.

oooOooo

It seemed to Caroline that she had only just put her head on the pillow when the sound of the alarm reverberated in her ears. As quickly as she could, she reached over and turned it off hoping it hadn't disturbed her sleeping girlfriend but she was too slow.

Kate rolled over towards her and moaned, "What time is it?"

"Six," Caroline whispered, "go back to sleep."

Kate opened her eyes fully, moved closer to Caroline and kissed her on the chin as she brushed some loose strands of blonde hair from Caroline's face.

"Why so early?" she asked.

Caroline felt Kate's hand snake its way from her neck, along her shoulder and come to rest on her breast where Kate's thumb then slowly circled her nipple. An evocative smile played on Kate's lips.

"Miss McKenzie, you're incorrigible…I have too many things to do this morning…I don't have time for 'that'." Caroline admonished her girlfriend sternly but with the hint of a smile on her mouth also. "Maybe later."

Caroline quickly climbed out of the bed before her ability to resist her partner's advances was fully put to the test. She donned Kate's robe as she went to the bathroom to fetch her clothes from the previous night.

"They still smell smoky," she complained as she re-entered the bedroom, "but they'll have to do. I'll take Lawrence to the shops this morning. We'll need to get all new clothes and shoes and he'll need new uniforms. I don't even have any clean underwear."

"I have some new ones...they're still in the packet…in the top drawer of the dresser…you can have those."

"Thanks." Caroline went to Kate's dresser, opened the drawer and searched. "How about these?" Caroline teased as she held up a pair of black, lace knickers. "Can I wear these?"

The seductive look on Kate's face when she saw what Caroline was holding told her it was probably the wrong thing to say if she wanted to get her jobs done that morning.

"Maybe not," Caroline said, quickly tucking them back in the drawer, making a mental note of their location for another time.

Half an hour later Caroline was showered, dressed and in the kitchen, armed with a cup of coffee. She was on the phone to one of her deputies, explaining what had happened the previous night and that she wouldn't be at school until Monday as she had a lot of things to take care of. Before hanging up she also left messages for Beverley to rearrange any appointments she had for the day.

Kate joined Caroline in the kitchen just in time to be on the receiving end of a rather languid good-bye kiss.

"I'd better go and pick up Lawrence and then I'll have to take him shopping…we literally only have the clothes on our backs at the moment."

"I'll see you later then. While you're gone I'll tidy up the spare room for Lawrence…"

"Are you sure we can stay…we're not imposing?" Caroline asked.

"Stop it, Caroline. Of course you're staying here," Kate insisted as she pressed her spare house key into Caroline's hand so as to make her point.

Caroline kissed Kate on the cheek one final time, gave her a grateful smile and headed off to collect Lawrence.

oooOooo

Both Lawrence and Caroline stood outside the guard tape surrounding the blackened skeleton of what had been their home…its pride as one of the loveliest houses in the street had taken a severe beating. Windows were mere frames with only a few shattered pieces of jagged glass hanging in them like loose teeth. Its magnificent façade was stained by rivers of ash. From what they could see, inside appeared to be a murky mess of charred and sodden furniture.

"What are we going to do?" Lawrence asked his mother as he looked at the devastation in disbelief.

"The first thing we'll have to do is go shopping and buy some new clothes," Caroline replied, trying not to sound too distressed for the sake of her son.

"But where are we going to live?"

"Kate said we can stay with her at her house for now…for as long as we need to…is that okay?"

Lawrence nodded. "Sure"

Caroline scruffed her son's hair and gave him a reassuring hug. "We'll be fine."

As they stood there looking, each lost in their own thoughts for the moment, they heard another set of footsteps on the gravel approaching them. They both turned to see Judith clambering up the driveway.

_"This can only mean trouble," Caroline thought to herself as she remembered the last time she'd met Judith. _

"What happened here?" Judith asked as she took in the sombre sight before her. "Someone leave the toaster on?"

"Something like that," came Caroline's deadpan response. "John was cooking and accidentally burned the place down."

"Twat."

"Can I help you?" Caroline asked, wondering why Judith had turned up here and at such an early hour.

"I'm looking for John actually… only, you see… the baby's due any day now…" Judith stopped for a moment to look down at the huge bump in front of her and rub it with her hand. "And I'd prefer it if he was about…just in case…after all he is the father…I shouldn't have to go through it all on my own."

"Sorry, I haven't seen the resident pyromaniac since he burned down my house last night and then scooted off. I don't know where he is…"

Her words were cut off unexpectedly by a sudden loud groan emanating from Judith who was now doubled over, clutching at her swollen belly.

Concerned and unsure of what was happening Caroline asked, "Judith, are you okay?"

"I'm not sure," replied Judith from between clenched teeth, "but it hurts like hell!"

Caroline then watched in surprised horror as Judith's amniotic sac chose that moment to break. Fluid pooled on the gravel driveway.

"Shit," Caroline muttered fiercely as it dawned on her what was occurring.

Lawrence looked on in astonishment, his eyes wide and his jaw slack.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked.

"She's having the baby…now," his mother answered matter-of-factly as she whipped her phone out of her pocket and dialled 999.

Once she'd given the necessary details to the emergency services and hung up, Caroline instructed her son to help Judith down to their car to wait for the ambulance.

"I don't know if I can do this," she heard Judith say to Lawrence as he assisted her back down the drive.

_"You should have thought of that nine months ago,"_ Caroline whispered to herself as she dialled John's phone number and waited as it rang several times before going to voice mail.

She left a brief message. "You need to get yourself to St Margaret's hospital ASAP. Judith has gone into labour."

"Jerk," she muttered as she ended the call. It seemed to Caroline that she was forever having to 'clean up' after her useless fool of a husband and, as far as she was concerned, the divorce couldn't come through fast enough so she could all but wash her hands of him.

Caroline pulled her car into a space in the hospital car park only minutes behind the ambulance that was carrying Judith. As she and Lawrence made their way towards the entrance, Caroline scanned the car park for any sign of John's vehicle but it wasn't to be seen.

It wasn't until they were inside at the reception desk where Caroline was attempting to help the nurse fill out an admission form with the few scant details she had on Judith that she heard Lawrence call out, "Dad!" Caroline turned around to see, with some degree of relief, the scruffy, dishevelled figure of John heading towards them, shoulders hunched and his hands deep in his pockets. As he came up to Caroline he gave her an embarrassed "Hi", unable to look her in the eye.

"Hello," Caroline replied tersely. "You look like absolute rubbish. Where did you stay last night?"

"Thanks," John answered sarcastically, "at the university…in my office. Where's Judith?"

"If you finish giving this nice nurse Judith's detail, I'm sure she'll tell you where she is. I'm off. Come on Lawrence."

Caroline turned on her heels, grabbed her son's arm and marched off, glad to be leaving John to it.

"Do you want to go and meet your new sister while we're here?" Caroline asked Lawrence. "I was planning to visit after we'd been shopping but we're here now."

Lawrence gave a disinterested shrug. "I suppose."

Caroline led the way along the labyrinth of hospital corridors that led to the nursery until they finally arrived at the large, glass window where chuffed parents could look in over their newborns. The nurse there, recognising Caroline from her weeks of visits, indicated to her to come around to the parent room. Caroline used the dispensed disinfectant to wash her hands and Lawrence copied her, then they entered. It wasn't long before the nurse appeared with baby Caitlyn wrapped snuggly in a blanket.

"Hi, Susie. This is my son, Lawrence. He's come to meet his sister."

The nurse gave Lawrence a friendly smile as she transferred the baby to Caroline's waiting arms.

"Lawrence, this is your new little sister, Caitlyn."

"She's so small," Lawrence commented as much to himself as to anyone else.

"Would you like to hold her?" Caroline asked him.

Lawrence replied tentatively, "I don't know. What if I drop her?"

Caroline laughed gently as she put Caitlyn in his arms and showed him how to hold her securely.

Over an hour later when they eventually left the hospital, Caroline asked her son, "So what do you think of your sister?"

"She's alright, I suppose," was Lawrence's non-committal response. There was no way he was going to admit to his mother or Kate just how beautiful he thought Caitlyn was or how much he adored holding the brave little baby in his arms….they might expect him to change nappies or something else equally as gross.

Caroline smiled to herself. She had seen the enamoured look on Lawrence's face as he had held Caitlyn and played with her tiny fingers. She knew Caitlyn had won another heart.

oooOooo

Loaded up with shopping bags, Caroline and Lawrence struggled from the car, up the path, to Kate's front door. While she precariously juggled her many purchases, Caroline used her key to unlock the door. Hearing their voices, Kate greeted them and helped them to get their packages inside where they dumped the bags unceremoniously on the lounge room floor.

"How was your day?" Kate inquired as she gave Caroline a loving peck on the cheek.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Caroline replied, exasperated at the very thought of the events of her day.

Kate looked at her and raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"I'll explain later….right now though I would kill for a cup of tea," Caroline hinted as she put an arm around Kate's waist and drew her close enough so her mouth could take advantage of Kate's ever sensuous lips.

Taking the hint and the bribe, Kate offered to make them a fresh pot of tea.

While Kate busied herself in the kitchen, Caroline helped Lawrence carry his new things up to the spare bedroom. She settled him in and then joined Kate at the table in the kitchen to have her much needed cup of tea.

"Lawrence met Caitlyn today," Caroline announced.

"Yes, I know….Susie told me you'd been up earlier with him. What did he think?'

"Oh, he tried to act all blasé about it but I could tell when he was nursing her…he adores her."

Kate smiled with relief. She had hardly dared to hope that both William and Lawrence would be accepting of the new baby in their lives.

"I've been thinking…"

"That sounds ominous," Kate teased,"…what about?"

Caroline rolled her eyes at Kate's attempt at humour and then continued. "About where we could live…I can't sell my house now…for obvious reasons … so, what if we sold your house, rented another place while my house is rebuilt, if it can be rebuilt and….we could do it up together to suit us…both of us… and then rather than sell it, we could live in it. What do you think?"

Kate sipped her tea thoughtfully as she pondered the idea.

"Although, it will be kind of sad to sell this house." Caroline smiled to herself. "It has some good memories…remember when I came over that afternoon, after work, when mum and Alan went missing and were found…and we made love for the first time…for hours?"

"That was after you seduced me in your office that morning," Kate recalled, her eyes lighting up at the memory of that unexpected and fabulous kiss.

"Guilty as charged," Caroline confessed without remorse.

"We can always make new memories."

"That sounds like fun."

"But there's still the problem of having enough money to buy John's share of the house," Kate added.

"At the moment I think John is feeling extremely guilty…after all, the fire was entirely his fault…so I'm sure, to ease his conscience, he will be willing to accept considerably less than before," Caroline explained, " and the house isn't going to fetch much in its present condition is it?...plus, I don't think he has the luxury of being able to wait until it's been repaired…not now that the baby has arrived. He'll be in dire need of some cold, hard cash."

"The baby has arrived? How do you know this?" Kate asked.

Caroline took a long sip of her tea before beginning to relate to Kate the events of the day.


	6. Chapter 6

"A Lasting Pleasure"

Chapter 6

Kate sat on the living room floor with her long legs stretched out in front of her and with her back leaning against the new sofa. Beside her, on a rug, playing contentedly for now, was her daughter, Caitlyn. Kate was sorting through the last couple of boxes from the move. It had been just over a year since that awful night when the fire had all but gutted Caroline and John's house but, as fate has a habit of doing, everything had turned out for the best in the long run.

As Caroline had suspected, John had been overwrought with guilt at causing the fire and also had a desperate need for cash, having squandered all of his money, so he accepted a much lower price for his share of the house. It was a price Caroline and Kate could afford. Kate had put her cottage on the market and it had sold within a month. Conveniently, the new owners had bought it as a place to retire to when they eventually finish up at their respective jobs overseas but, for the moment, they were looking to rent it out so Kate, Caroline and family were able to remain there while they rebuilt Caroline's house. It was a little crowded at times, occasionally causing tempers to fray but they managed. Things had fallen into place so neatly that they often thought that it was as though it was meant to be.

The outside of Caroline's house had been cleaned of the black stains from the fire but was essentially unchanged from before. However, the inside had become an eclectic mix of both Caroline and Kate. Caroline had given the house an understated, elegant touch of muted tones and textures whereas the splurges of colour that brightened the place in the form of cushions, soft furnishings and covers were Kate's touch. Somehow the two tastes melded together perfectly to create a very liveable home for them all.

Kate opened the box that was nearest to her and began to sort through its contents. It was mainly filled with books to which she was too attached to give away. As she dug towards the bottom she came across, to her surprise, some of her old diaries. She wasn't a compulsive diary writer but she had found that during the lonelier, less happy times of her life it had often helped her to write down her thoughts. It was as though putting the problems down on the page helped to purge them from her mind. Kate removed the diaries from the box, there were three in all, and began to flick through the earliest one…2008. It had been the year of her reawakening as old feelings and attractions were stirred up. While she had been married to Richard for almost five years, it only took a matter of weeks for the arrival of her new neighbour, Annabel, to cause her attraction to women to resurface. Annabel was French and she had been highly impressed by the fact that her neighbour, Kate, could speak French like a native. Kate had found the combination of Annabel's intelligence, sense of humour and wild beauty irresistible and it hadn't taken long for the attraction to find its way to the bedroom.

Kate flicked forward several pages, remembering the intensity of the ensuing months and the unexpected end of it all.

_December:_

_Annabel told me today that she is returning to Paris…going back to her husband…a husband I knew nothing about. I'm heartbroken….._

Kate tossed the diary aside, unsure whether or not to keep it or to put it in the bin. She then turned her attention to her daughter who was beginning to grizzle tiredly. Kate picked her up out of her pile of toys, put her on her lap and gently rocked her. Before too long her eyelids had closed and she was sleeping peacefully.

As Kate sat there nursing her daughter, she opened the next diary...2010. As she recalled, the first few months had been full of the discontent of being trapped in a marriage that she felt was no longer working for her. She'd originally met Richard at a pub when she was out for the night with some university friends. He had been fun and easy to talk to and they had a lot in common. Just over a year later they'd moved in together but it wasn't until several years later, when they had both expressed the desire to start a family that they had decided to marry. Over the following years Kate had fallen pregnant several times but each time she'd lost the baby before she'd reached the twelve week mark. Each time it made their relationship more strained, each feeling the blame of the other for the loss. In 2009, after Annabel had left, Kate, in a misguided attempt to focus back on her marriage and put it back on track… and to find happiness… fell pregnant for a fourth time. However, despite the best care and caution, it wasn't to be. Finally, Kate called an end to the marriage and moved out. Tears welled in Kate's eyes as her diary entries brought back the sadness of that time of her life…the sadness when she told Richard she was leaving…the sadness of leaving their lovely home…but in her heart Kate had always known that to stay on and pretend to be happy would have been far worse.

_October:_

_I found a lovely cottage in Harrogate today so I put an offer in and it was accepted. I can move in next month!_

_There's a job going at Sulgrave Heath Independent School for a modern languages teacher…I think I'll apply….can't hurt and it's much closer to where I'll be living._

_November:_

_Moved into my new house…still a few things to fix up but I love it._

_Interview next week for that job at Sulgrave Heath…I'm nervous just thinking about it. I'm very impressed though…the Head Teacher is a woman…not too many women get that kind of job…she's probably an old dragon._

Kate turned the page with a smile on her face as she remembered her interview with Caroline…or Dr Elliot as she was at that stage.

_OMG…I wasn't expecting that…Dr Elliot was an absolute vision of gorgeousness….startling blue eyes, a shock of blonde hair….the way her hips swayed as she walked was enough to make me swoon…. and then there's those legs in those ridiculously sexy high heels…I can't even remember a word I said….she was MAGNIFICENT._

"What are you smiling so broadly at?" Caroline asked.

Kate jumped in surprise. She'd been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't heard Caroline enter the room.

"Oh, nothing really," Kate answered innocently.

Seeing the rather tattered books beside Kate, Caroline asked, "Are those diaries?...I wouldn't have picked you as a diary writer."

"No…well, yes, they are old diaries but no, I don't write in them regularly…usually it's just when I'm feeling 'down' or have no one else to share my thoughts with…that's all."

"I'll have to have a read," Caroline joked but at the same time wondering how many times she'd gotten a mention in the diary clearly marked '2012'.

"It won't do you any good…they're all written in French," Kate laughed as she tossed them back in the box.

Caroline reached down and lifted the still-sleeping Caitlyn from Kate's lap so she could get up off the floor. Sensing the shift, Caitlyn opened her eyes and, seeing Caroline's face, muttered a sleepy 'mummy'.

"Yes, love…mummy's home," Caroline whispered as she placed a soft kiss on each of the child's cheeks. Kate watched on, besotted anew with both her partner and their daughter. Once she was on her feet again, Kate wrapped her arms around Caroline's waist and placed a loving kiss first on Caroline's lips and then on Caitlyn's forehead.

"Do you want to bath Caitlyn? Then she can have her bottle and you can put her to bed while I get some dinner ready for us," Kate suggested.

"Sure."

While Caroline took Caitlyn upstairs, Kate tidied away the toys, slid the box of books and memories into a corner for another time, and then headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Upstairs, Caroline fed and bathed her daughter and eventually laid the child in her cot, after which, she then took the opportunity to have a quick shower and freshen up herself. Before going back downstairs, Caroline opened her handbag that she'd left on the bed and took out a small, velvet box. She opened it to take one more look. Inside it was a stunning platinum ring with a single dazzling diamond set into the band. Caroline thought it was beautiful and hoped that Kate would like it too for tomorrow night, after she had made her partner a special dinner, she planned to propose. Caroline had already arranged for her mum and Alan to babysit. They would stay the night in what had previously been Celia's little flat but had now been done up as a guest's retreat for anyone who wanted to stay overnight…William and Roxy, Kate's mum or perhaps, on the odd occasion, Gillian might stay if she can find someone to feed the sheep. Tomorrow, they would, hopefully, have the entire night to themselves if things went to plan.

Caroline closed the box and put it back in her bag, took one more peek in at Caitlyn and then went back downstairs to join Kate. As Caroline entered the kitchen the delicious aroma of one of Kate's curries greeted her. Kate was on the phone.

"I have to go now" she heard as Kate ended the call.

"Who was that?" Caroline asked casually.

"No one important."

Kate's non-answer niggled Caroline's interest for a moment until Kate announced that dinner was almost ready and asked her to set the table.

Caroline asked, "Is Lawrence in for dinner did he say?"

"No…it's Friday…he and Angus have gone off to a movie and then he's staying overnight at Angus' place."

"He treats this place like a hotel…just a place to crash occasionally…I'm going to have words with him about it…Friday night dinner isn't too much to ask is it?"

"Oh, Caroline….he's 17… a teenager…that's what teenagers do….and it's the weekend," Kate explained patiently.

"I suppose…but it would be nice to see him occasionally," Caroline replied a little less huffily.

Kate served the meal and the two women sat for some time eating, chatting, enjoying each other's company over a glass of red wine.

As they later cleared away the dishes and tidied up, Caroline let Kate in on the first part of her plan for the following evening.

"I've arranged for mum and Alan to babysit tomorrow night and I'm going to cook something special for dinner for us…if that's alright?" Caroline asked.

"Of course it is…it would be lovely," Kate replied, flattered by Caroline's attention. "What's the occasion?"

Caroline hung up the cloth she had being wiping down the surfaces with, moved in close so that they could feel each other's body heat, held her partner's face gently in her hands and delivered a long and delving kiss. When their lips finally parted, Caroline answered, "The occasion is that I love you and I want to cook you a special dinner. Any more questions?"

Kate laughed. "No…not at this point in time." Then her expression changed. "Caitlyn's asleep…we could make the most of this time alone…upstairs….if you want."

"What? To get some sleep?" Caroline asked, knowing full well that sleep wasn't what was on her girlfriend's mind.

"Well…yes…that too…eventually."

oooOooo

Sleep-ins had tended to become a thing of the past with a one year old in the house but Kate had gone into Caitlyn when she had woken at 5:30am, fed her, changed the nappy and then brought her back to the bed with her where she lay snuggled peacefully between her mums, allowing Caroline to sleep in until 7:00am.

A little later, over breakfast and a morning coffee, the two women chatted as Caitlyn sat in her high chair and expressed her artistic talents with her food.

"I'm taking Caitlyn over to visit my mum this morning so we'll be gone for a few hours," Kate informed Caroline.

"I have some grocery shopping to do for tonight's dinner," Caroline replied. "Why don't you and Caitlyn come with me?….I won't be too long…and then we can all go to your mum's for a visit?"

Kate thought about it for a moment and then said, "No…it's alright. It's such a hassle taking Caitlyn to the shops. We'll go on our own….I think it would be best."

Although understanding what Kate was saying, Caroline couldn't help but feel a little hurt but she let it go.

Caroline put the baby bag in the boot of the car while Kate secured her daughter into her car capsule in the back seat. Kate then gave Caroline a quick kiss and a "See you later". Caroline waved them out of the driveway before getting into her own car and heading for the shops.

It took Caroline longer than she had expected to procure all the fresh ingredients she required and at the end of it all she felt like she could 'murder' a cup of tea so she quickly dumped her shopping in her car and headed for the nearest café. She entered, placed her order and found a seat at a small table near a window.

It was just as she had finished the first cup of tea and was considering a second one when she happened to look out the window and spotted Kate and Caitlyn on the other side of the street. Caroline was about to get up and go and greet them when she saw another figure with them... Greg, Kate's ex-boyfriend from a hundred years ago and Caitlyn's father.

_"What the hell is Kate doing with Greg?" Caroline asked herself as she watched on with initial interest._

Her curiosity soon turned to mortification as she saw Greg turn to face Kate and take something out of his pocket…a small box similar to the one Caroline had in her bag containing the ring…then he opened it to show her what was inside. Kate took the open box, obviously admiring its contents as a huge smile spread across her face. Then to Caroline's shock and disbelief, she watched as Kate threw her arms around Greg and gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek.

Caroline felt dizzy with shock. It was as though someone had literally kicked her in the chest. She found it difficult to breath and bile rose in her throat. She put her head in her hands and concentrated on keeping the rapidly forming tears at bay. When she looked up again she saw Kate and Greg, who was pushing Caitlyn's stroller, heading off up the street looking all 'happy families'.

_"What's Kate playing at?" Caroline asked herself._

Somehow Caroline managed to drive herself home although she honestly couldn't remember any of the journey. Her mind was too busy trying to make sense of what she'd seen.

Once inside the house, Caroline found some temporary solace in the mundane chore of putting away all the groceries she'd bought, although her enthusiasm for cooking the special dinner had waned considerably. As she made her way around the kitchen, putting various items in their place, she made the decision not to mention what she'd seen to Kate. She wanted to see if Kate had any intentions of telling her what was going on or was she going to simply disappear from Caroline's life without warning?

It was a little after three o'clock when Kate finally arrived home carrying a very tired Caitlyn in her arms.

"You've been awhile," Caroline stated, trying to keep the anger out of her voice.

"Yeah….I sort of got carried away at my mum's and before I knew it I was running late."

Kate dumped her bag on the nearby sofa and carried her now sleeping daughter up to her cot.

While Kate was upstairs Caroline heard Kate's phone ring. She reached into her bag to retrieve it. The call was from Greg. Caroline let it ring out then she wrestled with her conscience…while the phone was in her hand she could check Kate's text messages and see if her suspicions were accurate but she knew that that would be wrong….she should trust Kate to tell her if there was something happening….but could Kate be trusted after what she had seen that morning? Caroline quickly found the phone's menu and went into the messages, all the while, her heart thumping recklessly in her chest…How would she explain this to Kate if she caught her doing it? However, the result of her search justified to Caroline her actions. There they were, dozens of text messages from Greg…each one seemingly innocuous in their language but each one arranging a time and a place for what was clearly a meeting. The texts went back weeks.

Caroline's shaking hand placed the phone back in Kate's bag…. a large part of her wishing she hadn't looked…wishing she didn't know what she knew now. Suddenly Caroline had the desperate need to escape…to get away and think things through. It was as Caroline was putting on her coat and grabbing her bag and car keys that Kate came back downstairs. When she found Caroline and saw her pallid face and sombre expression she asked, "Is everything alright?"

Through clenched teeth Caroline replied, "I have to go out."

"Where are you going? What about dinner?"

"I don't know" was the simple reply.

Caroline got into her car, slammed the door shut and left, the speed of her departure spraying gravel in all directions. Kate was left standing at the door completely puzzled and confused as she felt a slow anger building inside…Caroline had walked out on her again.

Not fully aware of where she had been heading, Caroline found herself pulling up almost an hour later at Gillian's place. As she parked, she noticed Gillian working on the engine of the tractor. Caroline continued to sit in her car, not really sure as to why she was even here. Gillian rested the tractor's piston on the seat, attempted to clean her hands of the grease and oil with some grass and then walked over to Caroline's car and knocked on the window. As Caroline turned to look at her Gillian couldn't help but notice the sadness of her features and the reddened eyes. Gillian opened the door to encourage Caroline to get out.

"What's up?"

Caroline shook her head.

"Come inside and I'll put the kettle on," Gillian offered kindly.

Mutely, Caroline alighted from her car and followed Gillian inside where she sat at the warmly familiar table, her chin propped up on her hands. Gillian busied herself making them a cup of tea each. When she turned to put Caroline's mug on the table in front of her she saw the tears flowing unchecked down the woman's cheeks. Her heart reached out to her. What could be causing her so much pain?

"Caroline…what's happened? What's going on? Is somebody hurt? Is it my dad?" Gillian asked, her voice suddenly fraught with worry.

Caroline shook her head and then, finding her voice, she said sadly, "Kate is having an affair…with Greg…Caitlyn's father."

"No…she can't be…she's not," Gillian insisted. "Blind Freddie can see how much that woman loves you. I don't believe it. How do you know?"

"I saw them together this morning at a café …Kate, Greg and Caitlyn. I'd been grocery shopping …I was planning a special dinner for tonight and then afterwards I was going to propose…but I think Greg has beaten me to it…I saw him showing her a ring and then she hugged and kissed him albeit on the cheek…and then they walked off together down the street all 'happy family'."

"I can't …I don't believe it."

"Then this afternoon," Caroline continued, " while she was putting Caitlyn to bed her phone rang …it was Greg…I didn't answer it but…and I'm not proud of this….I checked her text messages….they've been meeting up about three or four times a week for almost two months."

Gillian was momentary at a loss for words at this revelation until the obvious question hit her.

"Well, what did Kate say about all of this?"

"I didn't ask her…once I saw the text messages I had to leave…I had to get out of there so I got in the car and ended up here."

"So you haven't discussed this with her or given her a chance to explain?" Gillian reiterated.

Caroline shook her head.

"You pillock," Gillian said, exasperated. "For someone with a PhD in ….whatever…you're not always the sharpest knife in the drawer are you?" Gillian softened her words by giving Caroline's hand an affectionate squeeze.

"What's to explain?" Caroline asked. "I saw what I saw."

"There could be a perfectly rational explanation."

"Yes," Caroline replied harshly, "and it goes along the lines of 'she's had enough of me and wants her daughter to be with her father' like it or not."

The two women sat quietly for some time, drinking their tea, neither knowing exactly what to say until Caroline broke the silence.

"How's little thingywhatsits? Calamity?"

"She's good…growing faster than gossip in a church yard. Raff and Ellie have taken her down to visit Harry."

"How's Robbie?"

"Oh, we've had a bit of a falling out….again…but it will sort itself out…it always does eventually."

Caroline covered her face again as she sobbed through tears, "What am I going to do?"

"You're going to put yourself back in your car and you're going to drive home and talk to her," Gillian instructed firmly. "That's all you can do. I've seen how much that woman loves you…she'd walk barefoot over broken bottles for you…there's got to be another explanation."

Caroline looked at Gillian, almost daring to believe that what she said might be true. Slowly she got up from the table and walked with Gillian by her side back to her car. Just as she was about to get in Caroline turned and hugged Gillian. "Thank you."

Gillian hugged her back. "It will be fine."

Caroline looked at her doubtfully and gave her a weak smile then got in her car, reversed it out of the yard and drove off down the road.

oooOooo

It was dark when she got back and all of the lights in the house were off but one. Caroline nervously searched for her house key so she could open the door but before she could use it the door opened and Kate's figure stood in the doorway, arms folded across her chest and a stern expression on her face.

"Evening," Kate said frostily.

Caroline replied with a quiet 'hello' and then walked inside and hung up her coat. "Where's Caitlyn?" she asked.

"Celia and Alan are looking after her. Seeing that they made the trip all the way over here especially to babysit her I thought they could have a visit while I tried to work out where the hell you were," Kate explained. "I couldn't even call you….you left your phone on the kitchen bench."

In her rush to leave, Caroline had forgotten all about Celia and Alan coming over.

The two women walked into the kitchen and out of habit Caroline reached for a glass and a bottle of wine and proceeded to pour herself a generous amount of the usually soothing red liquid.

Frustrated with not getting any answers Kate asked, "Where have you been?"

"I drove over to Gillian's….I don't know why I chose there exactly but I did."

Kate's mood melted slightly as her desire to get to the bottom of it all overcame her anger.

"Caroline, what's up?...Talk to me. I've been worried out of my brain…I've been trying to think of what I might have done to upset you so much and I've come up blank," Kate pleaded.

It was Caroline's turn to be angry. "Oh, really? How's Greg?" Caroline retorted.

"Greg? What's he got to do with this?"

"I was shopping this morning and I stopped at a café to have a cup of tea….imagine my surprise when I looked across the road and saw you and Greg getting all cosy."

"Oh, Caroline…it's not.."

Not to be interrupted, Caroline continued talking. "Then, when you were putting our daughter down in her cot, he rang you. I didn't answer…I let it ring out." Caroline paused for a moment, embarrassed to admit to Kate what she had done. "Then …. and I know I shouldn't have done this but I did…I went through your text messages….there were dozens of them from Greg going back weeks, all of them arranging secret trysts…"

Kate hid a small smile behind her hand.

"How can you possibly think this is funny, Kate? If you want to be with Greg then at least be up front about it rather than go sneaking behind my back." Just as Caroline seemed to be reaching full rage, her voice quietened to a whisper. "I don't think I will survive if I lose you and Caitlyn."

Realising how things must look from Caroline's perspective, Kate's expression became more serious. She stepped in close to Caroline, put her arms around her waist and placed a loving kiss on her mouth. Wanting nothing more than this woman, Caroline let herself be drawn into the kiss momentarily but then she drew back, wanting answers to her questions.

"I'm sorry, Caroline. I should have told you what was going on right back at the beginning but, knowing how you feel about Greg, I thought it best at the time to just do what I had to do and not tell you…I can see now how that has led to a total misunderstanding," Kate attempted to explain.

"So what is it that you had to do with Greg that you couldn't tell me about?"

Kate took Caroline by the hand, led her into the living room and indicated for her to sit. This wasn't going anywhere towards quelling Caroline's uneasiness.

_"Is this where she tells me she's leaving?" Caroline wondered to herself. "She thinks I'll take it better sitting down?"_

Kate sat closely beside her, still holding her hand.

"Greg met this woman in Paris about six months ago and fell head-over-heels in love with her. She speaks a little English but not much and Greg has only got very basic French so he asked me if I would teach him some French. We've been meeting three, sometimes four times a week…he's super keen to impress this woman…and I've been giving him French lessons….He's done very well."

The tears of fear and sadness that had been welling in Caroline's eyes flowed as tears of relief. She swallowed hard to contain the lump in her throat.

"What about the ring he showed you?" Caroline managed to ask. "I thought he was proposing to you."

"Tomorrow he's going to Paris to meet up with her and he's planning to propose to_ her_. He was showing me the ring that he'd bought her….it was a little too fussy for my liking but he seemed certain that she would love it."

Caroline leant her forehead against Kate's. "Gillian was right…I should have talked to you before I stormed out with my own version of events stirring in my head…she called me a 'pillock'."

"She's right, you are a pillock," Kate teased before continuing more seriously, "but I should have confided in you, Caroline. I'm very sorry that I didn't….I didn't want you to worry but in the end that's exactly what happened….please believe me when I say that you are the only person I truly, madly, deeply love."

Both women had the same idea at the same time as they both moved their mouth towards the other's, their lips meeting in an ardent kiss affirming that all had been forgiven.

As the kiss ended, Caroline got up from the sofa and offered to fetch the bottle of wine and some glasses. Kate made to go with her but Caroline insisted that she stay where she was. Caroline then went into the kitchen, grabbed the wine and the glasses and also the small, velvet box that was in her bag and returned to the living room. She put the glasses on the low table and poured the wine then she turned to Kate who looked bemused as she could tell that Caroline was up to something.

"Kate, I know I leave a lot to be desired sometimes as a partner…today being point in case…."

"That was my fault too…"Kate began.

"Ssshhh….let me finish…please," Caroline begged. "I _will _try harder because I love you so very much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I would like nothing more than to make it…us together forever….an official thing….will you marry me?

Caroline opened the box to reveal the ring. Kate gasped at both the beauty of the ring and the magnificence that was her Caroline.


	7. Chapter 7

"A Lasting Pleasure"

Chapter 7

With a slightly unsteady hand, Caroline removed the ring from its plush casing and slipped it onto Kate's slender finger. As Caroline gently held Kate's hand in her own, she admired how beautiful the platinum band with the single diamond appeared against Kate's dark skin. Kate put her other hand under Caroline's chin and rested her forehead against her partner's.

"I love you so very much," she whispered before drawing their mouths together in an enthralling kiss.

"Oh! Gross! Are you two at it again?" Lawrence complained loudly, full of teenage disgust, as he stood in the doorway to the living room.

The two women jumped apart in surprise at the sound of the voice and looked over to see Lawrence standing there with a broad smile on his face.

"Why don't you two get a room…or go upstairs? Seriously!"

"Oh, now the prodigal son turns up," Caroline chided good-humouredly. "We don't see him for days and now, when we want some privacy to celebrate, he puts in an appearance. Great timing, Lawrence."

"I thought you were staying at Angus' place until tomorrow," Kate added.

"I was but …it doesn't matter…I changed my mind," Lawrence replied without further explanation and then attempted to change the topic. "So, what are you celebrating?"

Caroline looked at her son a little shyly. "I've just asked Kate to marry me and she's said…..well, she hasn't exactly said 'yes' but I'm presuming it's a 'yes' from her reaction," Caroline explained as she looked questioningly at Kate.

"Of course it's a 'yes'. Do you think I'd turn down a ring like this?" Kate laughed teasingly.

She held her hand up, wiggling her fingers as she flashed Lawrence the ring. Lawrence came further into the room to take a closer look then let out a low whistle.

"Nice one, mum," he complimented.

Caroline shot him a radiant smile, her face beaming with joy.

Much to both Caroline and Kate's surprise and pleasure, Lawrence bent over and gave each of them a kiss on the cheek and a heartfelt congratulations but before they could accuse him of being 'sweet' he added, "It's about time you two got married…it's a bit embarrassing having you both just 'shacking up' together like a couple of old hippies from the seventies."

"The cheek of it," Caroline scoffed but nothing could wipe the smile from her face.

"When's the wedding?" Lawrence asked. "Do I get to break out the kilt again?"

"We haven't quite got that far. Actually, we didn't even get past the first celebratory snog when you inconveniently walked in," Kate complained, giving Lawrence back some of his own.

"Well, this boy knows when he's not wanted," Lawrence replied feigning insult and then added quietly, "All jokes aside, I really am happy for you both. It's fantastic news." Then he turned to leave the room, heading towards the kitchen.

"There are some leftovers in a dish in the fridge if you're hungry," Kate called after him.

"Cool…I'm starved." Before he finally departed, he turned and asked, "Where's my little sister?"

"Your granny and Alan are babysitting her tonight because Kate and I thought we'd like a night alone to…"

Before Caroline could say anymore, Lawrence stopped her from continuing. "Too much information, mum" and then put his hands over his ears and left the room singing loudly, " La la la la la" to himself to block out the chance of hearing any more of the gruesome details.

Caroline watched her son leave the room marvelling at the young man he'd become in seemingly the blink of an eye. During the year after the fire when they were all living together in Kate's cottage, Caroline and Lawrence's relationship seemed to turn a corner. After being mucked about and 'stood up' on several occasions by John, Lawrence was finally able to see his father for the self-centred fool that he was and no longer blamed his mother for the break-up of the family.

Whether it was because they were living in more confined quarters or perhaps just because Lawrence was maturing and was no longer the silly fifteen year old, Caroline and Lawrence had managed to have several heart to heart conversations…something they had found difficult in the past. Some of these conversations were initiated by Caroline, others by Lawrence, but all had been open and honest, if not heart-wrenching at times. Lawrence revealed to his mother how he actually did love his brother, William, despite the cruel barbs they often flung at each other and how, at times, he missed him terribly now that he'd gone off to Oxford. He also told her of the times when he had been quite severely teased by some of the idiots at school because his mother was the head teacher and a 'dyke'. At first he'd felt angry with Caroline for putting him through all that ….

_"Why couldn't she just forgive his dad and let things go back to normal?" he had wondered._

Then it had slowly dawned on him, as he saw the happiness that his mum and Kate together brought to their home and the determination they had to tough things out, that it was the idiots at school who had the problem, not him, not Kate and his mum.

Caroline had shared with Lawrence her own disappointment and sense of failure she felt when John had left her to be with Judith. Then when Lawrence had asked about Kate, she also tried to explain her initial attraction to her but found that words often failed her when trying to describe the intensity of what had happened when they met and then the incredible sense of loss she experienced when Kate had left her and how she was determined now to make the most of the chance she had been given with the one person she truly loved in the full romantic sense of the word.

Through these talks Lawrence seemed to come to more fully understand the depth of Kate and Caroline's relationship and accept the idea that love is love, no matter whether it is between a man and a woman, two men or two women. Whereas previously Caroline had been worried that Lawrence had picked up some of her mother's prejudices and attitudes, she now realised that he had probably just needed more time to adjust and understand the situation. With his maturity had come this understanding and acceptance of his mother's sexuality and Caroline was in no doubt that he would now defend her to the hilt if necessary.

It also had to be said that as time went on, Celia too, became more accepting of her daughter's lifestyle, the arrival of Caitlyn, the granddaughter she adored and loved to fuss over, as well as guidance from Alan playing no small part in this. Gone were the occasional abrasive comments and looks aimed at them, although Kate was still wary of Celia at times around certain topics as she still liked to say exactly what was on her mind now and again.

Alone again finally, the two women picked up where they had left off when they were interrupted as Kate cupped Caroline's face in her hands and brought their lips together once more for what became a long and smouldering kiss. Caroline felt every cell in her body ignite with want and passion for her partner.

"Why don't we do as the boy said and go upstairs before we get 'busted' again," Caroline suggested, "besides, I have an urgent need to get you naked."

oooOooo

Out of habit, both Caroline and Kate had woken early the next morning but without their one year old there to demand attention, they decided to indulge in the luxury of a lie in. Kate had propped herself up on her pillow beside Caroline who had rolled onto her side so she could see her partner's lovely face and slung her arm loosely across Kate's stomach.

"Tomorrow's Monday…." Kate began.

"Yes, it is," Caroline agreed, "and…?"

"And we are going to work."

Caroline looked at Kate quizzically. "Yes….and your point is?"

"People are going to notice the ring aren't they," Kate explained more fully, "so I'm wondering….how do you want to handle this? Do you want to make a big announcement or do we just answer the question as we're asked?"

Caroline tossed the problem over in her head for a bit and then decided.

"I don't want to make an announcement as such…. unless you think it would be best …. after all, you're the one they're going to ask because you're the one wearing the ring...and they're too afraid to ask me...It's not a big deal…well, it is for us, of course, but I don't particularly want a fuss made of it."

"No…I don't want a big fuss either and I'm sure once I tell a couple of people, word will spread like wildfire anyway."

"We have a staff meeting on Wednesday afternoon where we can make a general announcement then if we have to," Caroline added.

With that decision made, the two women spent a few more intimate moments together before relinquishing their lazy start to the day and getting out of bed.

"I should go and relieve Celia and Alan of their babysitting duties so they can get back to the peace and quiet of their bungalow," Kate said as she quickly dressed, ready to head downstairs.

"Wait for me…" Caroline replied, dressing as well, "I want to be there when mum sees the ring so I can tell her what's happening."

Both women made their way downstairs and around to the little flat. As they knocked on the glass door they could see Caitlyn sitting on Alan's lap, smiling and laughing as he made ridiculous faces to entertain her. Alan looked up when he heard the tapping on the glass but it was Celia who opened the door to them.

"Morning mum…Alan. We've come to relieve you of our daughter," Caroline said cheerily, "I hope she wasn't any trouble."

Kate went over to Caitlyn.

"Morning Alan," she said quietly as she lifted her daughter from his lap. "Morning my sweetheart," she then addressed to her daughter as she gave her a morning hug and kiss on the forehead. "Thank you both for coming over and babysitting. It was much appreciated."

"Oh, it's a pleasure, love," Alan replied. "Any time. She's been fabulous."

"That's because she has probably been spoiled rotten," Caroline added with a knowing smile.

"Well…maybe just a little," Celia confessed. "Did you two have a nice evening?"

The two women looked at each other before Caroline answered. "Yes, we did actually…in the end."

Celia gave them a perplexed look.

"In the end?"

"It started off a bit….it doesn't matter really…what does matter is that we're getting married…I asked Kate to marry me and she said 'yes' so we're getting married."

Celia looked from one woman to the other, her expression neutral, then she folded her arms across her chest and dropped her eyes for a moment.

_"Here we go," thought Caroline to herself._

Alan waited nervously in the background, unsure as to how his wife would react to that bit of news.

"When are you planning to have the wedding?" Celia asked unnervingly quietly.

"We haven't actually had a chance to discuss all…any of the details yet but as soon as we can get organised is my way of thinking," Caroline replied, looking towards Kate for reassurance.

Celia moved in close to both Caroline and Kate who were now standing side by side and reached for a hand from each.

"I know that in the past I haven't been as supportive of your relationship as I should have been…I wouldn't have made a good PFLAG member…" Celia smiled at them both, "but that is all well in the past now so I am being very sincere when I say 'congratulations' and that I am truly happy for you."

Celia gave their hands a squeeze and reached up and kissed each stunned woman on the cheek. Alan followed up with a kiss also.

"Hell…if he ever decides to shoot through on me," Celia continued, nodding her head towards Alan, "I might just take up with a lovely older lady myself."

"Oh mum! Stop there! Now you're frightening me," Caroline laughed.

"Oi…I'm not going anywhere…you're stuck with me," Alan added firmly but with a chuckle. "How many times do I have to marry you to convince you of that?"

"Mum...can I ask...just out of curiosity...how do you know about PFLAG?" Caroline inquired tentatively.

Celia explained, "I've been on the internet looking up stuff."

Kate hid an amused grin behind her hand as Alan gave her a knowing wink. It amused and entertained Celia greatly to wind Caroline up but sometimes it just wasn't a challenge.

"What 'stuff' have you been looking up exactly?" Caroline dared to ask and then thought better of it. "No...on second thought, don't tell me. I really don't want to know."

Caroline shook her head in befuddlement. Her mother never ceased to surprise and amaze her.

"I guess it's too early to crack open a bottle of champagne and have a celebratory drink?" Celia asked. Then she caught sight of the flash of silver on Kate's finger."Is that the ring?"

Kate nodded and held her hand up so Celia could fully inspect it.

"Oh it's beautiful…one thing I can always say about our Caroline is that she has good taste." Then, to Kate's surprise, Celia gave her a look that seemed to say that it wasn't just the ring she was talking about.

"Thanks, mum….are you two heading off straight away or do you want to stay for some breakfast?"

"No, we'll be heading off, love…thanks anyway…we've stuff to do," Celia answered.

Caroline put her arms around her mother and gave her a loving hug. "Thanks for coming over and babysitting and thanks for….well, you know…just being you."

Caroline and Kate with Caitlyn resting on her hip, walked Celia and Alan to their car and waved them off then went inside for some breakfast.

"That didn't go too badly," Kate stated with relief.

"No…it was good. She's come a long way."

"I think we all have," Kate replied simply.


	8. Chapter 8

"A Lasting Pleasure"

Chapter 8

As the enticing smell of the pancakes Kate was cooking for breakfast wafted throughout the house, Lawrence miraculously appeared from his room to join his mum, Kate and Caitlyn in the kitchen. He waited impatiently by the stove with plate in hand. Once the pancakes were done, all three sat at the table to eat while Caitlyn was perched in her highchair next to Caroline. The women bantered casually as they ate while Lawrence unceremoniously scoffed down several pancakes with no time for idle chatter.

When Kate and Caroline left the table and took their morning coffees and Caitlyn into the living room to continue the relaxed theme for the day, much to their surprise, Lawrence joined them. Usually he would almost immediately disappear back to his room, to the X-box or scoot off to Angus' place. Instead, he sat on the floor with Caitlyn and entertained her with her toys and 'deep' conversation which, in turn, entertained Kate and Caroline as they watched on in wonder. Each gave the other a questioning glance but neither dared break the spell by asking Lawrence what was going on.

Amidst infectious baby laughter and Lawrence's comical, noisy animal impressions they heard a knock at the front door.

"I'll get it," Caroline volunteered, not wanting to disturb Lawrence and Caitlyn's game.

She got up from the couch where she had been lounging beside Kate, collected the empty coffee mugs on her way and headed for the door. As she opened it she saw an unusually solemn-looking Angus.

"Hello, Dr Elliot," he said rather timidly, "is Lawrence home?"

"He is," Caroline answered. "He's in the living room with Kate and his sister."

Angus followed Caroline into where Lawrence was still sitting on the floor with Caitlyn.

"Lawrence, Angus is here to see you."

Angus hung back while Caroline re-joined Kate on the couch. Lawrence looked up from his position on the floor to see a sheepish-looking Angus hovering in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" Lawrence asked abruptly, giving Angus a look of disdain.

"Lawrence!" Caroline interjected, "you can't talk to your friend like that."

"I'm not sure he _is_ a friend" was Lawrence's terse reply.

"Can we talk?" Angus asked in voice that was almost pleading.

Making his reluctance obvious to all, Lawrence stood, patted Caitlyn's soft, dark brown curls and then strode past Angus, indicating without words that if he wanted to talk he needed to follow. Angus did so without question. Caroline and Kate had looked on wordlessly at the curious scene. Both women were bewildered and clueless as to what had happened between the two best friends.

"What was that about?" Kate finally asked.

"I've no idea," Caroline replied, "but they've obviously had a falling out."

"It must have been over something fairly serious…I've never seen Lawrence so short with Angus before."

"It's probably something to do with a girl," Caroline surmised. "That's usually what boys their age fall out about, isn't it?" They'll be fine."

It was barely twenty minutes later when Kate noticed, through the living room window, Angus slinking off down the driveway by himself, his head down, shoulders hunched and his hands thrust deep into his trouser pockets. She put her book down, picked Caitlyn up off the floor and went into the kitchen where Caroline was cleaning up the breakfast things.

"Angus has left….on his own, looking a bit the worse for wear," she informed Caroline.

Caroline stopped her cleaning long enough to give Kate a concerned frown.

"I wonder what's going on," she thought aloud.

Shortly afterwards they were joined by the source of their puzzlement as Lawrence strolled casually into the kitchen on yet another forage for food.

"What's happened between you and Angus?" Caroline ventured to ask, cornering him between the fridge and the kitchen island. "You've obviously had a falling out of some kind. Is it over a girl?"

Lawrence's face coloured with embarrassment as he answered, "Ah…no. He's an idiot, that's all."

"It can't be that bad surely?" Caroline persisted, determined to find out what the problem was.

"It's not a big deal, mum," Lawrence replied in an attempt to stave off any further questions.

Caroline gave him a look that said she wasn't going to accept anything other than a full explanation and knowing his mum as he did, Lawrence realised that resistance was pointless and eventually he'd have to tell all anyway. She wouldn't drop the subject until she had a satisfactory answer. His only alternative would be to reveal to her what had happened.

Lawrence slumped into one of the kitchen stools and ran his hands through his thick auburn hair as he gathered his thoughts and words together. Noticing his anxiousness, Caroline put a comforting arm around his shoulders and waited patiently for the forthcoming explanation. Lawrence took a calming breath and began.

"The other night when I stayed over at Angus' place we were talking about stuff and …he kept calling you and Kate 'muff munchers' and other disgusting names. I told him to stop….I warned him but he kept on going like an immature idiot."

Lawrence paused for a moment to gauge his mum's reaction. Her expression was merely one of interest rather than hurt or offense so he continued.

"So I left….walked out….it was either that or stay and punch him in the mouth," Lawrence finished, a degree of anger in his voice.

"Good choice," Caroline said evenly but her heart was swelling with pride that her son…her Lawrence…would actually stand up for her and Kate against his best friend on this issue and also that he chose to walk away rather than fight.

Caroline then asked, "So what did he want this morning?"

"He came to apologise to me," Lawrence explained, "and I told him that he needed to apologise to you and Kate, not me, but he didn't have the courage so I suggested he leave and not come back."

"But you've been best friends for forever," Caroline exclaimed.

"Yeah …well sometimes you outgrow a friend…or you eventually see them for what they really are," her son responded. "When he grows up a bit maybe we can be friends again but I'm not holding my breath."

Lawrence looked at Kate and then at his mum. He detected the slightest of grins on Caroline's face.

"It's not funny, mum. He shouldn't say stuff like that," Lawrence protested.

"I remember when you said something like that….What was it?... 'muff-munching shirt lifters' I believe the exact words were," Caroline quoted, her grin now a full-blown smile.

"Exactly my point," Lawrence retorted heatedly, "that was nearly three years ago….I was an immature jerk….Angus still is."

Giving up the argument, Caroline replied, "Anyway, I'm not smiling because I think it's funny, I'm smiling because I'm so proud of you and the grown-up you've become. " She closed in on him and hugged her son closely to her. Lawrence pretended to squirm uncomfortably at his mother's show of affection but not too much, he didn't want to discourage her entirely. She gave his hair a rough scruff and then picked up her cloth and went back to wiping down the kitchen surfaces, her head down until she had the tears of pride that were welling in her eyes under control.

Kate, who had remained quietly in the background for most of the exchange, was also touched by Lawrence's actions and followed up by putting her hand on his shoulder, pecking his cheek and whispering a heart-felt 'thank you'. He turned to look at Kate, his cheeks beginning to colour, and gave her a quick but sincere smile. He knew that in the past he'd treated Kate poorly at times. She had been an easy target as a much younger Lawrence had lashed out because his world as he knew it was being torn apart. When he thought about it, he cringed with regret. Lawrence now saw Kate through new and different eyes. She had brought love and happiness into his mother's life and, in turn, into his life for which he was truly grateful.

"You're more than welcome," he whispered back to Kate. He then pushed back his stool and reminded his mum, "I've got a rugby match this afternoon. Are you still okay to drive me there?"

"Sure," Caroline replied, "give me a yell when you're ready to go. Do you want me to stay or pick you up afterwards?"

"The team's having a barbecue after the match. I thought I'd stay and catch a lift from someone afterwards, if that's okay?"

"You've got school tomorrow, don't forget, so don't be late…..home by 7," Caroline commanded in a tone that defied resistance.

Lawrence gave her a dramatic eye roll and a cheeky grin then made a quick escape from the kitchen up to his room.

oooOooo

Once Caroline had deposited Lawrence at the rugby field and returned home, she reluctantly ensconced herself in her study for the next several hours determined to catch up on some severely neglected paperwork that she could no longer afford to avoid or defer.

By late afternoon, to her great satisfaction, the 'in' tray was almost empty. Caroline tossed her glasses onto the desk and rubbed her tired eyes. Then, as she rolled her aching shoulders and stretched the cramped muscles in her back and her legs, Kate appeared in the doorway.

"You've been tucked away in here for hours. Are you nearly done?" she asked. "I'm beginning to think you're avoiding me."

"Yes….I'm done and no…I'm not avoiding you….never."

Kate could see the tell-tale signs of tiredness in her partner's body. She stepped in behind Caroline and gently kneaded her shoulders and neck. Caroline slumped forward limply as the divine pressure of Kate's fingers relaxed her taut, weary muscles. Kate worked her hands gradually down Caroline's back while she began to place feather-light kisses on the back of her partner's neck. She then took one ear lobe and then the other in her warm mouth and teased them lightly with the tip of her tongue, eliciting a series of soft sighs from the object of her affections. Caroline then felt Kate's nimble fingers unclasp her bra and her hands move to cup the fullness of her breasts and gently massage them.

"Oh my god, Kate, that feels wonderful," she gasped faintly.

Feeling Caroline's arousal heightening, Kate turned the office chair around so that Caroline now sat facing her. Their mouths met in a deep, delicious kiss as Kate unfastened Caroline's jeans and removed them with her lover's help. Kate drew back a little to take in the sight of her partner sitting there naked from the waist down and looking incredibly enticing. Their lips locked once more as Kate gently guided Caroline's knees apart and then knelt before her, pulling Caroline forward slightly. She then removed her lips from Caroline's mouth and languidly kissed the inside of each thigh.

"Oh Kate…." Caroline murmured several times as Kate neared her centre. Caroline didn't think she could take much more before she'd be toppling over the edge into the abyss of ecstasy. She moved both of her hands into Kate's dark hair and guided her partner's mouth to where she needed it to be. Kate's warm tongue found Caroline's most sensitive of spots and set up a steady rhythm as she lapped the sweet ambrosia of Caroline's sex until her ministrations finally, intensely, brought her lover to an oh so exquisite release. As she waited for the tremors to cease, Caroline drew Kate in close and held her tightly until her body slowly calmed.

Suddenly their tranquillity was shattered as the sound of loud, male voices ruptured the peace and quiet.

"Shit…Lawrence is home!" Caroline gasped hurriedly jumping up out of the chair. "Where's my jeans?"

Kate handed Caroline her jeans as she stood up. She couldn't help but laugh as she watched a desperate Caroline dance around the room struggling to maintain her balance and get her jeans on before Lawrence came looking for her.

"Stop laughing and help me with my bra," Caroline demanded. "This is the only problem with having children…they put in an appearance at the most inappropriate times."

Just as Kate finished reclasping Caroline's bra and straightening her jumper, Lawrence appeared at the door. Both women did their best to seem casual.

"Hi, Lawrence," they chorused.

Lawrence looked from one woman to the other. He wasn't fooled for a moment.

"Oh no…you two have been at it in the study…haven't you?"

Each woman looked at the other like naughty school children and were barely able to hold it together.

"Is there a room in this house you haven't had….no….forget it….I don't ever want to know the answer to that question," Lawrence decided then, changing the direction of the conversation he continued, "mum, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine."

It was only then that Kate and Caroline realised that there was another figure standing behind him. Lawrence stepped aside so that they could see each other more clearly. His friend was tall, fair-haired and extremely handsome.

Lawrence introduced him. "This is my friend, Robert. Robert, this is my crazy, sex-obsessed mother…."

Caroline's jaw dropped open, horrified. "Lawrence, I am not crazy! And what kind of way is that to introduce your mother to a friend?"

Caroline reached out to her son's friend and shook his hand. "Hello, Robert. You'll have to excuse Lawrence's appalling manners."

Robert simply smiled at her, a little uncertain as to how to respond.

Lawrence continued, "And this is my mum's partner, Kate…..they're getting married ….whenever…."

"Hi, Robert," Kate said with laughter in her voice as she found the whole situation highly amusing. "Nice to meet you."

Robert then gave both Kate and Caroline another charming, friendly smile.

"Right…well, we'll leave you two alone to get back to whatever it was you were doing," Lawrence said boldly as he gave his mum a knowing glare, "we're going upstairs."

"Don't forget you have school tomorrow so not too late," Caroline called after him, righting the mother/son balance of power.

As Lawrence and Robert headed off, the two women looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"I think we may have embarrassed them both slightly," Kate finally managed to say.

"Embarrassed them! I was the one who was nearly caught with her pants down," Caroline replied indignantly but with a huge smile. "That Robert is very good looking,"

"And very gay," Kate added.

"Do you think so?"

"Absolutely…..do you think Lawrence realises?"

"I don't know," Caroline replied, "but now that I think about it, I think you're right."

"Do you think there's a chance Lawrence might be gay too?"

Caroline gave Kate a quizzical look. "I hadn't really thought about it but I guess he could be and it would explain a lot…that would be one for the books though….he used to be the one always teasing William about being gay. I guess we can only wait and see….not that it matters, of course."


	9. Chapter 9

"A Lasting Pleasure"

Chapter 9

Lawrence sat dozily at the kitchen bench slowly eating his bowl of cereal while casually scanning through the sports section of the two-day old newspaper. Meanwhile, his mother flittered busily around him collecting dirty dishes and putting them into the dishwasher and wiping down bench tops.

As Kate entered the room, Caroline stopped her fussing long enough to greet her with a morning kiss.

"Where's Caitlyn?" Lawrence asked, the fog of sleepiness starting to lift from his brain.

"I've put her in her playpen in the living room," Kate answered, "her Nan will be here soon to look after her."

It never ceased to amaze Kate how much Lawrence adored his baby sister, especially as she had only ever dared to hope that he would simply accept her. The bond between them was a special gift Kate often thought.

Lawrence left his almost empty bowl on the bench and headed off into the living room to say good morning to Caitlyn. Caroline rolled her eyes as she picked up his bowl and spoon and added them to the dishwasher.

"We've had this dishwasher long enough….you'd think he'd know by now where it is," Caroline grumbled.

Kate looked at her disgruntled partner and laughed light-heartedly. For all her complaining, Kate knew that Caroline was very proud of Lawrence and the way he had come through the recent turmoils of his life and that she too was surprised and relieved by her younger son's affection for their daughter.

As Caroline ran out of dishes to place and surfaces to clean, Kate sidled up to her and took Caroline's hands in her own and then placed several tantalising kisses just below her partner's ear lobe…a place she knew Caroline was partial to being kissed.

"I've asked mum to come over a bit earlier today. I thought that would give us time to tell her about us getting married."

Each time Kate said it, the reality of their commitment sank in a little more and her heart sang. Despite the inauspicious on-again, off-again beginning to their relationship, Kate truly did want to be with this woman forever.

"Good thinking," Caroline replied.

"That's why I'm the modern languages teacher and you're just the Head Teacher," Kate joked.

Caroline rewarded Kate's impudence with a wide grin and a dazzling gaze from her beautiful, blue eyes…eyes that even this far down the track, could still make Kate swoon and go weak at the knees. Caroline then lifted Kate's left hand which was still entwined in her own and peered thoughtfully at the ring on her lover's dark, slender finger…a symbol that Kate did truly love her and want her. She brought Kate's hand to her mouth and gently plied it with light kisses.

"If you're going to be cheeky to me I might have to…."

Caroline's tenuous threat was cut short by a deliberate, loud coughing sound at the kitchen doorway.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Kate's mother asked.

"No, mum," Kate laughed as she released Caroline's hands and went over to her mother and greeted her with a hug.

Once Ruth was in the kitchen she went over to Caroline and gave her a morning hug as well.

Kate's mum came over each Monday and stayed at the granny flat until Wednesday afternoon or, sometimes, Thursday morning and looked after Caitlyn, allowing Kate to go back to work part-time.

"Ruth, we've got some news for you," Caroline began.

"You're getting married," Ruth said matter-of-factly.

Caroline and Kate looked at each other, dumbfounded.

"How did you know?" Kate asked, her voice full of surprise.

"Oh! You really _are_ getting married?" Ruth replied, equally surprised. "I was only joking."

"Yes, we are actually getting married," Caroline assured her, "I asked Kate to marry me and she said, for better or for worse, that she would."

Kate held up her hand to show her mother the ring. Ruth clasped both hands over her mouth as she gasped at both the news and the lovely band on her daughter's finger. As the idea sank in, Ruth drew both women into a warm, congratulatory embrace.

"That is such wonderful news. When are you getting married? Where?"

"Those details and many others are yet to be worked out," Caroline answered, "but we don't want to leave it too long… so sooner rather than later, I feel."

Ruth gave them one more, quick hug each before asking, "Where's my beautiful granddaughter?"

"She's in the living room playing with Lawrence," Kate replied, "I'll go and get her."

As Kate left the room, Ruth turned and looked at Caroline with her dark, expressive eyes.

"I am really happy for you both and you know that I love you like my own daughter, Caroline, but you do realise that if you hurt my Kate I will have to hunt you down," Ruth said with a broad grin on her face.

Caroline noted the grin but sensed that there was a touch of seriousness behind the words. She then thought of her boys and Caitlyn and immediately knew where Ruth was coming from. Caroline admitted to herself that she would feel exactly the same way if anyone was to hurt her offspring.

"Ruth, you can safely put away the hunting gear," Caroline joked back, "I intend to spend the rest of my life with your daughter, hopefully making her happy."

Ruth reached for Caroline's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze affirming their understanding of each other.

The slight tension in the room was broken as Kate came in with Caitlyn holding her mother's fingers and toddling beside her. On seeing the familiar figure of her grandmother, her Nan, Caitlyn threw her chubby, light brown arms around Ruth's legs and demanded to be picked up.

Ruth lifted her up in her arms and kissed her soft cheeks. "Good morning, my precious."

"She's been a bit grizzly the last couple of days," Kate told her mum, "more teeth I suspect. The teething gel is in the usual place."

Looking at the time, Caroline said, "We'd better get going or we'll be late."

Both women gathered up all that they needed for the day, gave Caitlyn a farewell kiss, and made for the door. Caroline gave Lawrence a final call on her way down the hall and he was soon with them as all three eventually piled into Caroline's car.

oooOooo

As Kate had predicted, it hadn't taken long for the shiny, platinum ring on her left hand to catch the eye of several of the staff members but it wasn't until the first break of the day, as many of the staff gathered for their morning coffee and a chat, that one of them, David from the Science Department who had once asked Kate out, got up the nerve to inquire about the ring.

"Hey… McKenzie," he called out from across the table, "what's that bit of shiny, new hardware on your finger?"

Kate blushed slightly but could always give as good as she got.

"Oh, you mean this?" she asked as she held up her hand.

The staffroom suddenly became considerably quieter as everyone's attention focussed on Kate and waited for their curiosity to be sated.

_"Here goes," Kate thought to herself._ "It's my engagement ring, David…..Caroline and I are getting married."

There was a split second of stunned silence as everyone took in the news and then the room erupted into loud applause and enthusiastic cheering. Well-wishers then came over to have a closer look and give their personal congratulations. Kate felt quite overwhelmed by the excited response and had trouble wiping the smile from her face.

All too soon the bell rang signalling an end to the break and the frivolities, as teachers filed out of the room to go to their various classes.

Just as he was about to disappear out the door David called out, "Nothing like a gay wedding to get the party started…hey, McKenzie."

She poked her tongue at him but it was a wasted gesture as he was out of sight.

oooOooo

Fortunately Kate had a spare forty-five minute period. She had planned to spend it marking 9F's French homework but decided to pay a brief visit to Caroline instead and share with her the fact that most of the staff now knew about the engagement and the response the news had received.

Kate made her way along the corridor and was about to approach Beverly's niche to see if Caroline was available when she noticed the Head Teacher's office door open and Caroline, herself, step out into the hallway. Beside her stood a rather stunning, thirty-something woman, dressed immaculately in a business suit consisting of a navy, tailored skirt that finished just above the knees of her long, slender legs and on her feet she wore flattering, black high heels. Her skirt was topped with a navy jacket that accentuated her trim waist and underneath it she wore, in contrast, a crisp, white shirt with the first two buttons undone….revealing but not provocative. The woman's hair was a mass of tight, blonde curls that she tried to tame into a pony tail but random locks had managed to escape. Her eyes were a lively, light green and Kate noted how they took in every move and gesture Caroline made.

As Caroline spoke to the woman, she looked down the corridor and spotted Kate approaching. She gave her partner a quick wave and then said something to the other woman but Kate was still too far away to hear what it was. The woman shook Caroline's hand and smiled cordially, her eyes sneaking in one final, discerning glance at Caroline before she departed.

"Who's that?" Kate asked as she reached Caroline's side.

"That's Ms Elizabeth Martin," Caroline answered as she led Kate into her office. "She's the last of the short-listed applicants for the Senior Maths Teacher position that's available now that old Mr Blake has decided to hang up his calculus book and retire."

"How did she go?"

"Very well…I'd go so far as to say that she's probably got the job," Caroline said confidently, " she's by far the most experienced and qualified and her references are also very effusive in their praise for her."

Now that they were in the privacy of her office with the door shut behind them, Caroline put her arms around Kate's waist and was about to kiss her when Kate said, "You do realise that the woman is besotted with you, don't you?"

Caroline stopped, her mouth only a breath away from Kate's, and looked at her sceptically.

"What do you mean?...She's only just met me…she's not…why would she be?"

Kate tried not to laugh at Caroline's look of shocked disbelief.

"What makes you come to that conclusion?" Caroline finally asked.

"First-hand experience," Kate explained good-humouredly. "I think I was besotted by the end of my interview with the divine Dr Elliot, as well, and I probably looked at you the same way she did and you didn't notice then either."

Caroline shook her head, doubtful of what Kate was saying.

"You're imagining things," Caroline concluded, happy to brush off the matter.

She then finished off what she had been about to do by pressing her lips against Kate's ever-inviting mouth for a leisurely kiss.

"Anyway….to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Caroline inquired as their mouths reluctantly separated, hoping to move on from the topic of Ms Elizabeth Martin.

Kate moved with Caroline as they seated themselves at the table where she then explained to Caroline what had happened in the staffroom at morning tea when she announced their engagement. Kate described the fantastic reception she received to the news….a reaction that quite overwhelmed Caroline too.

"It seems the ladies really have well and truly landed," Caroline exclaimed.

Kate looked at her watch. She wasn't going to get any marking done after all.

"I'd better go and get ready for my next lesson. Are you going to be working late this afternoon?" Kate asked.

"Unfortunately, I think I am…again. It's only three weeks until the summer break and I've got so many things to finish up and then there's stuff to do for the start of the new school year," Caroline replied, the exasperation obvious in her voice.

"Do you mind if I take the car then?" Kate asked. "I'll drop Lawrence off at home and then I have a few errands to run…a couple of things to pick up. If you text me, I'll come and pick you up when you're ready."

"Sure. What is it you have to pick up," Caroline asked casually.

"Oh just _things_," Kate answered mysteriously, raising an eyebrow as Caroline's look questioned her.

Caroline shuffled around in her handbag until she found her car keys which she then handed over to Kate. Kate took the keys and as she stood to leave she gave Caroline a quick peck on the cheek.

"Thanks. Don't be too late though. The taxi service finishes at six. After that, you'll have to walk home," Kate teased as she walked towards the door, turning to flash the head teacher a seductive smile.

oooOooo

A little after four o'clock, Kate and Lawrence drove out of the school grounds while Caroline remained in her office ensconced in the mound of paperwork that signified the end of the school year.

By half past five Caroline had had enough. She was desperate to get home to her family so she sent Kate a simple text saying, "Rescue me… NOW…XO". As she typed the message, Caroline frowned to herself as she thought about all the evenings she had preferred to sit in her office for hours, either at school or at home, and work rather than face the farce that had been her marriage to John. After a quick tidy up of her desk, Caroline gathered her coat and her handbag and walked out of her office and down to meet Kate. She'd even got out of the habit of taking home piles of work to do later.

It wasn't long before the black jeep appeared and Kate pulled up beside her. Caroline opened the passenger side door, tossed her bag on the back seat and got in, happy to be heading home. It wasn't often that Caroline got to be a passenger so she took the opportunity to unwind and let her mind wander.

Curious as to the cause of Caroline's quietness, Kate glimpsed over to see if she was alright.

Noting the thoughtful expression on her partner's face, Kate asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Caroline brought her mind back to the present, realising that Kate was talking to her.

"What? Oh…nothing really…I was just thinking about what might have happened if I hadn't caved to my mother's pressures, the pressures of the time, when I was a teenager…when I first realised I was gay…if I hadn't married John…"Caroline's voice drifted off as thoughts clouded her mind again.

"We probably wouldn't have met," Kate stated plainly.

"Or maybe we would have met and I wouldn't have been so….difficult….so confused….and things would have been much easier for us."

Kate took one hand off the steering wheel momentarily and gave Caroline's thigh a comforting touch.

"We can't change what's happened," Kate replied, "but, if it's any consolation, I think we are that much stronger for what we've been through."

Caroline simply nodded her head in agreement, then, to lighten the mood she asked, "Did you get what it was that you needed to pick up?"

"I certainly did," Kate said with a broad smile.

"What was it?"

"You'll see soon enough," was all Kate would reveal.

Once they were home, Caroline removed her coat, poured herself a glass of red wine, kicked off her shoes and headed for her favourite sofa, glass in hand and ready to relax. Kate went off in search of her mother and Caitlyn.

"Mummy!" Caitlyn called out happily as Kate entered the living room carrying their daughter. She had her little arms stretched out towards Caroline.

"Darling….how are you, my sweet thing?" Caroline cooed as she reached up to take her from Kate's arms.

As Caroline fussed over their daughter, she noticed that there was something in her tiny hands.

"What have you got there, sweetheart?" Caroline asked.

Before she had a chance to find out what it was, Kate lifted Caitlyn onto her own lap and took the small, velvet box from Caitlyn's fingers and held it out to Caroline.

"This is what I picked up this afternoon. It's for you….from me," Kate whispered as she handed Caroline the box.

Caroline opened it. Inside was a platinum band with a single, dazzling diamond….the matching pair to the one she had given Kate. Caroline looked from the ring to Kate, just managing to hold back the tears as she leant over to kiss her wonderful partner.

"You didn't have to, you know," Caroline murmured, but secretly glad that she had.

"I know …but I didn't see why I should be the one to do all the explaining simply because I'm wearing the ring….now you'll have to do your fair share," Kate explained playfully.

Kate removed the ring from inside the box and took Caroline's left hand in her own. She was about to place the ring on Caroline's finger when Caroline stopped her. She had noticed an inscription on the inside of the band. Her eyes read it and then looked lovingly into the eyes of her partner. Written on the inside of the ring was the one, simple word….FOREVER.


End file.
